Immune
by Bobapearl
Summary: An unlikely scenario placed him under her care. A leaked rumor forced them to hide. But when trapped in an apartment with just the two of them, tricky predicaments and high-strung emotions begin to unravel until the secrets they so desperately wanted to keep are laid out for all eyes to see.
1. Chapter 1: Outbreak

Hi everyone! Well, first off, I want to thank you all for clicking on the link. I didn't think I would start on another story so soon, but I had to get this one down. It's something that came to mind recently, so I'm still working through the kinks. Hopefully you'll like the start of this one and stick with it until the very end. Thanks again everyone! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>"Have you had it?"<p>

"Of course I have! Have you?"

"No, but don't worry, I'm not affected by it at all. I'm prepared—had a shot and everything."

"That's good. President Lory won't let anyone who has it or hasn't had it work at all today. He even sent out an email to warn everyone."

"Really? That's good though. After all, I heard it's quite contagious. Better safe than sorry, right?"

"Right. I mean, it can get pretty nasty. I remember when I had it. Let's just say I'm happy that it's over and done with."

"Me too! No need to relive such a horrible memory. I don't think I was ever so splotchy and red in my life."

"Or itchy."

"You said it."

The girls laughed reminiscently as they grabbed their cups of hot tea from the vending machine and gradually made their way down the corridor. But while on their stroll toward their office, they passed by a young girl in a pink LoveMe uniform who had been listening in on their conversation since the beginning. She had quite a puzzled look on her face while holding a mop in her hand that seemed to be slipping out of her weak grasp. She was so curious about their conversation that she completely forgot she had a task to finish. However, before she could ask them what they had meant, an irritated voice suddenly called from behind her:

"MO! Kyoko!"

At the sound of her name, Mogami Kyoko whipped her head around and saw her best friend/other LoveMe member, Kotonami Kanae, approach her with a scowl upon her face. "What are you doing?" she asked impatiently with crossed arms. "I've been looking all over for you! How could you leave me to clean the bathroom all by myself?"

Kyoko smiled guiltily. "Sorry, Moko-san! I was sort of—distracted."

"I can tell," Kanae replied coldly with narrowed eyes as she stood in front of her. "You just walked out of there with this weird look on your face without telling me anything!"

"Because I heard something really odd, Moko-san!" Kyoko replied hastily to appease her clearly aggravated friend. "Which reminds me, did you get an email from the company about something going on today?"

"Email?" Kanae repeated with a raised eyebrow. "I haven't checked. Why?"

"Apparently, President Lory sent something important to everyone."

"About what?" Kanae asked with all frustration wiped clean from her face.

"That's what I wanted to know. A couple of girls walked by talking about it so I followed them out, but what they said didn't make any sense at all."

Kanae placed her hands on her hips. "So you basically abandoned me to follow a couple of girls to eavesdrop, and in the end came back with nothing?" she asked with a dark glare.

Kyoko laughed nervously while running a hand through her orange hair. "Well, if you say it like that…"

Kanae smacked her on the shoulder and yelled, "MO! You're the worst!"

"I'm sorry, Moko-san! I'm so sorry! I'll make it up to you! I'll clean the rest!"

"No need," Kanae said with a sniff as she turned around and walked in the other direction. "You've helped enough."

"MOKO-SAN!"

Kyoko ran after her irritated friend with the wet mop trailing down the corridor, leaving a trail of soapy water on the clean floor. "I'll help! I promise I'll help!"

"No!"

"I'll swab the floor! I'll clean the sinks!"

"Did it!"

"I'll wipe the mirrors! I'll take out the trash!"

"Nope!"

"I'll clean the toilets!"

Kanae stopped.

"Fine. You can clean the toilets."

Kyoko blinked a couple times in surprise at the abrupt change in tone before smiling gratefully. "Thanks, Moko-san," she said in a relief-filled voice.

Kanae didn't reply. She just continued on her way, trying her very best to conceal the sly smile upon her face for getting exactly what she wanted. Although a part of her felt sort of guilty for tricking Kyoko into caving in, the larger part of her knew she deserved it. This was Kyoko's punishment for leaving Kanae all by her lonesome in the men's restroom.

Kyoko eventually fell in step with Kanae and noticed that her friend was no longer annoyed. In fact, she even seemed to be slightly happier than before. So with a pleased smile at the corner of her lips, Kyoko followed Kanae back towards the bathroom without a word of complaint of what she had to do in exchange. After all, Kyoko was used to these types of tasks so cleaning the urinals and stalls were not a big deal to her in the slightest.

However, before they entered the restroom, they suddenly spotted the LME talent manager, Sawara-san, strolling up to them with a friendly smile upon his face.

"Hello girls! It's nice to see you bright and early. I guess you are both cleared since you're here working."

"Cleared of what?" Kyoko and Kanae asked simultaneously.

Sawara-san stared at them with wide eyes. "You don't know?"

They shook their head, quite irked that everyone seemed to know what was going on except for the two of them. As if they weren't excluded enough by just being members of the LoveMe group, but now they were not even aware of company policy? Kyoko and Kanae were not happy at all.

"Well, I guess it's not that big of a deal since the infection isn't life-threatening or anything, but I'm surprised you two haven't heard."

Kyoko glared and with a stifling, dark aura swirling around her tense stance, she whispered quietly, "Sawara-san…"

"Y-y-y-y-yes, Mogami-san?" he stammered in fear as he stared into her fiery eyes.

"Will you please explain what is going on instead of pointing out the _obvious_ fact of how unaware we are?"

Kanae crossed her arms in agreement.

Sawara-san laughed nervously and made a flailing notion of his hand as he exclaimed in haste, "No! No! It's nothing too big! It's just another outbreak of the chickenpox!"

Kyoko faltered.

"Chickenpox?"

"Yes," Sawara-san replied, grateful that Kyoko's mood was becoming lighter, "it seems that there are some people infected with chickenpox this week. Therefore, President Lory sent out a notice for those who have it to stay home and those who haven't had it to get a vaccine as soon as possible since it's really easy to get it once someone else has it."

Kyoko made a giant "O" of understanding with her mouth as she said, "That makes perfect sense! Red, splotchy, itchy…that was what the other girls meant!"

"Um…right," Sawara-san replied uncertainly at a complete loss as to what she was referring to. "So have you had the chickenpox yet, Mogami-san?"

Kyoko nodded. "A long time ago though."

She turned to Kanae. "You've had it before, right Moko-san?"

Kanae pursed her lips in thought.

"I don't really know, but I don't think so. So no, I haven't."

Sawara-san and Kyoko froze.

"You…haven't…had it?" Kyoko murmured in a strangely soft voice, but her eyes seemed to grow larger by the second.

Kanae confusedly looked back and forth between the two people in front of her and shook her head. "No," she replied slowly, drawing out the word. "I haven't."

"OH MY GOD!"

Then with a bear-like grip around Kanae's slim wrist, Kyoko bolted down the hall at lightning speed, leaving a very dazed talent manager with her mop in his hand and forgetting everything around her except for the sole mission of getting her best friend out of the chickenpox-infected building. With the intent to save her from impending doom, Kyoko dragged Kanae along like a rag-doll, not even noticing how her friend was barely able to keep up and was practically gasping for air.

After a sprint down three flights of stairs (Kyoko was too impatient to wait for the elevator), Kanae had had enough of all the running and forcefully dug her heels into the floor. Kyoko screeched to a halt, spinning around abruptly and gasping, "WHAT—ARE YOU—DOING? YOU—NEED—OUT OF HERE—NOW!"

Kanae painfully leaned over on her knees as she panted heavily, "_WOULD YOU—CALM—DOWN?"_

"What do you mean calm down?" Kyoko exclaimed in exasperation. "You haven't had the chickenpox! YOU'RE GOING TO GET SICK!"

"I'm nowhere near anyone who has it!" Kanae yelled back defensively, swiftly standing in an upright position. "How could I possibly get it?"

Kyoko spluttered incoherent noises of disbelief before she said, "The air! You can get it from the air!"

"Since when is chickenpox airborne?" Kanae asked angrily.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Kyoko responded in a pitchy voice. "All I know is that you have to get out of here!"

"I am not going to run around like a lunatic!" Kanae replied adamantly with a shake of her head. "Besides, I'm not going to let this little sickness thingy prevent me from working."

Kyoko froze, not believing what she just heard. When it came to health, Kyoko was the biggest stickler on earth. Therefore, according to this strong-willed girl, there was nothing more important than someone's well-being so with a deep exhale, Kyoko relaxed her tense shoulders and said in the calmest voice she could muster, "You don't care if you get sick?"

"I WON'T get sick."

Realizing that persuading Kanae when she was so stubborn would be impossible, Kyoko decided to take another route—a route she knew that her friend could not ignore.

"I guess you're right," Kyoko admitted thoughtfully.

Kanae stared. "I am? I mean, of course I am! It's just a little chickenpox!"

Kyoko smiled brightly. "Right, right, just a little chickenpox. What harm can it cause?"

Kanae crossed her arms triumphantly. "Exactly."

"No harm done at all," Kyoko continued slowly as she averted her gaze. "Well, except for your face."

And to her utmost satisfaction, she heard Kanae's sharp intake of breath.

"What do you mean my face? What's going to happen to my face?" she demanded in a pitchy voice.

"Nothing! Nothing!" Kyoko said with her hands raised as she turned back to her now-pale friend. "Except that it might be covered with itchy, red pimples that could leave scars."

Kanae shrieked at the top of her lungs with her hands on each side of her face.

"WHAT?"

"Exactly!" Kyoko urged on, dropping her fake tone when she realized how Kanae was finally able to understand the seriousness of this problem. "That's why you can't have the chickenpox!"

"MY FACE!" Kanae moaned in horror. "I CAN'T HAVE THAT HAPPEN TO MY FACE! I'M AN ACTRESS!"

Kyoko nodded vigorously. "Right! Right! How can you go on television with all those bumps?"

"I CAN'T!"

"No, you can't! And you don't want to ruin your career, do you?"

"NO!"

"So you have to get of here, right?" Kyoko pressed, nearly jumping up and down from excitement. "For the sake of your face?"

"Of course!" Kanae agreed quickly as she began to walk towards the exit. "I have to get out here!"

"Well then, come on!" Kyoko exclaimed enthusiastically as she began to run to the lobby. "We can't waste any time!"

So with Kanae willingly running after her, Kyoko dashed down the very last hall before entering the lobby. And with the front doors of the building in plain sight, Kyoko frantically ran towards what she deemed to be safety. They were only a few feet away! Just a couple of more steps and they were home free! Just—!

And as if life wanted to spice things up a bit, a tall figure suddenly appeared from what seemed to be out of nowhere right in front of the moving door. Before she could even think about stopping, Kyoko ran right into the person, hitting him squarely in the chest. But when she was about to bounce back from the impact, two strong arms suddenly wrapped around her waist and held her upright.

"Where's the fire?" an amused voice asked with a soft chuckle.

Kyoko whipped her head up and gasped in surprise as she found herself staring into the brown eyes of none other than Tsuruga Ren!

"I'm so sorry, Tsuruga-san!" she exclaimed in horror at her mistake.

Ren laughed. "It's okay, Mogami-san. Is everything alright?"

And right on cue, Kanae came huffing up with her dark hair all ruffled and messy as she leaned over on her knees once again in exhaustion.

Ren stared down at her bent figure in surprise. "Hello, Kotonami-san," he said with wide eyes.

She weakly waved a hand in greeting without even bothering to raise her head.

"What's going on?" Ren asked with a raised eyebrow as he turned his attention back to Kyoko, who was still safe in the embrace of his arms.

"That's what I wanted to know," another male voice replied. And with a pleased smile, Yashiro Yukihito walked up from behind Ren. "I leave you alone for a couple of minutes and I find you like this," he pointed out as he looked at the intimate stance between Ren and Kyoko.

Blushing profusely, Kyoko jumped back in shock. She could feel her heart thumping loudly against her chest and her thoughts becoming fuzzier by the second just from the memory of his scent. Kyoko shook her head vigorously.

"I'm so sorry!"

Ren only laughed in response, all the while making a mental note to kill Yashiro later.

By now though, Kanae had finally caught her breath and was now standing in a proper position. When Ren saw her breathing normally, he asked in a casual tone, "In a rush, Kotonami-san?"

"Tsuruga-san," Kyoko said in surprise at his nonchalant inquiry, "you don't know?"

He turned back to her. "Know what?"

"The chickenpox," Kanae replied in shock at the fact that the number one actor in the agency had no idea what was going on within his own agency.

"Oh!" Ren said in understanding. "That's why you're running around? Yes, I know about it. I'm guessing you haven't had the chickenpox then?"

"I have," Kyoko answered. "But Moko-san hasn't."

"And I NEED to get out of here," she replied firmly. "I will not jeopardize my face."

Yashiro laughed. "Your face?"

"Yes, my face!" Kanae said indignantly. "I can't ruin my face!"

Ren smiled widely, clearly amused.

"What about you, Tsuruga-san? Yashiro-san? Have you guys had it?" Kyoko asked curiously.

"I have," Ren replied, "when I was nine."

"And I'm going to get a shot right after this," Yashiro said, motioning to his arm.

Kyoko nodded, happy that these two were prepared for the outbreak.

"Well," Kanae said with a fluid toss of her hair over her shoulder, "since you guys are protected, I'm going to go. So I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay, Moko-san," Kyoko said as she gave her friend a hug. "Get a lot of rest!"

"Mo, I'm not sick!" Kanae answered irritably as she shook out of the awkward embrace. "Don't jinx me!"

Kyoko smiled sheepishly and nodded.

Then with one last farewell to Ren and Yashiro, Kanae calmly exited the building. Kyoko watched her friend safely walk away, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. At least now Kanae was going to be far from the chickenpox and that was all that mattered.

Then from what seemed to be out of the blue, Yashiro suddenly reached into the front pocket of his suit in one swift motion and exclaimed, "Oh Ren! Before I forget, here's the cream you wanted."

Ren glared darkly. "Couldn't this have waited, Yashiro?" he asked in a voice that sounded polite enough, but clearly had a menacing tone underneath. He was absolutely humiliated—talking about an ointment in public was practically taboo and to make it worse, it was in front of the girl he loved!

Yashiro smiled cruelly as he grasped the tube in his hand. "I told you; I didn't want to forget."

Ren scoffed.

"Cream?" Kyoko piped in. "For what?"

"He has a bug bite," Yashiro answered with a smirk.

Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "You have bugs in your apartment?"

"Of course not!" Ren replied defensively. "I probably got it from walking outside. Mosquitoes or something."

Yashiro nodded. "Right," he said sarcastically.

"Mosquitoes? There aren't any mosquitoes around this time," Kyoko pointed out. "That can't be it, Tsuruga-san."

He chuckled with a shake of his head that seemed to imply as if he was chiding a young child. "Of course it is, Mogami-san. What else could have bit me?"

She frowned, obviously doubtful of his reasoning. "Where is the bite?"

Ren blinked in surprise at her extremely forward question. Wasn't she aware of the fact that it was going to be on his body? His flesh? His naked skin?

But pushing that promiscuous thought to the farthest part of his mind, Ren reached a hand up to his collarbone and answered, "It's right around here."

"Let me see," Kyoko pressed.

Yashiro's eyes bugged out of his head as Ren said in an oddly shaky voice, "Y-y-y-you want to see?"

"Yes," she replied, evidently confused by their reaction. "I want to see what kind of bite it is."

"Well, what are you waiting for, Ren?" Yashiro urged quickly, giving Ren an encouraging push from behind. "Show her."

With a heart that seemed to be on the verge of jumping right out of his chest, Ren raised a trembling hand to the top buttons of his navy-blue shirt and began to un-loop the first two. Pulling down the fabric, he revealed a part of his collarbone to Kyoko who was already leaning in to get a closer look.

Ren watched her eyebrows furrow in concentration as she gazed at the red pimple-like lump on his skin. He was nearly hyperventilating when he saw how close her face was.

And as if he wasn't going crazy enough, Kyoko suddenly ran a slender finger over the bump, giving Ren an electric shock right to his heart (and making him feel slightly itchy).

"_Oh god…"_

"What do you think, Kyoko-chan?" Yashiro asked with a wide grin, amused to his very core at how things were unfurling with his favorite soon-to-be couple—not to mention Ren's edgy stance.

But Kyoko didn't respond. She just stared at the supposed "bite" with eyes that seemed to have frozen over.

Quite worried, Ren snapped himself out of his nervousness and lowered his head just a tad to stare at her face. "Mogami-san, what's wrong?"

She slowly shook her head.

"You're wrong," she murmured.

"Wrong about what?"

"This," Kyoko whispered, running a finger over the bump again.

Ren's heart throbbed painfully from her touch. "The bite? What about it?" he asked in a strained voice, starting to feel a little itchier.

"It's not a bite."

"It's not?" Yashiro asked in surprise.

Ren stopped. "Then what is it?"

Kyoko raised her gaze and stared at him with wide eyes.

"Chickenpox."


	2. Chapter 2: Diagnosis

GREETINGS! First off, I want to thank everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story. As always, it means a lot that you guys take an interest. Your support definitely helps me to continue writing. Well, I hope you like this part as much (if not better) as the other. Thank you again everyone! Please Read and Review.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>"No."<p>

"What do you mean 'no'?"

"That's exactly what I mean."

"Don't deny this! It's as clear as day!"

"No, it's not."

"You can't be serious! You're just going to dismiss it?"

"I didn't say I will dismiss it. I just refuse to accept your guess."

"IT'S NOT A GUESS! I know what it is!"

"And how could you know? Are you a specialist of this sort of thing?"

"NO! BUT I'VE HAD IT BEFORE!"

"So have I."

"NO, YOU HAVEN'T!"

Yashiro sighed heavily, plopping himself down on the lounge chair in wariness as he watched the two argue with each other. It was quite amazing how everything appeared to be going perfectly well just seconds ago and then in a blink of an eye, take a turn for the worse. Yashiro shook his head and leaned against the headrest. He was oddly worn out.

"Yashiro-san?" a timid voice suddenly asked from behind.

In a snap, the manager sat up bolt right and surprisingly saw the director of the drama Dark Moon standing beside him with a worried look upon his face. "What's going on?" he asked with a voice ridden with distress.

Yashiro followed Director Ogata's anxious gaze and found himself staring at the couple once again who were still wrapped up in their dispute. "It's nothing, Director Ogata. Just a petty fight," Yashiro replied as he adjusted his glasses in an unconcerned manner.

"Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly. "Because Kyoko-san looks really upset."

And with hearing like a bat, Kyoko suddenly removed herself from the argument and ran towards Director Ogata with a feverish expression. Her eyes glowed with determination (and a hint of insanity) as she exclaimed in a firm voice, "Director, please tell Tsuruga-san to go home!"

Director Ogata took a nervous step back and stammered, "W-w-w-why? What's wrong?"

Ren smoothly followed right after her and said in an equally hard voice, "Please disregard her words, Director. She has no idea what she's talking about."

"OF COURSE I DO! Stop saying that!"

"Wait, wait, Kyoko-san," Director Ogata interrupted with a raised hand. "What are you referring to?"

"THAT!" Kyoko exclaimed as she pointed to Ren's neck that was now covered up. "THE OBVIOUS EVDIENCE OF CHICKENPOX!"

"Chickenpox?" Director Ogata repeated in surprise. "You have chickenpox, Ren?"

Ren sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "No, Mogami-san insists that my _mosquito bite_ is actually chickenpox, but of course, she's just overreacting."

Kyoko glared. "No, I'm not," she said through clenched teeth. "That is not a mosquito bite! A bite from a mosquito should be bigger! This one is small! And not to mention the fact that it's fluid filled and there are signs of you getting more around the same spot! AND ISN'T IT REALLY ITCHY?"

Ren shook his head, clearly disagreeing, yet at the same time, trying to resist the temptation to scratch right at that moment.

"Tsuruga-san! This is serious!"

"Ren, maybe you should go get it checked," Director Ogata advised as he peeked at Kyoko who looked to be on the near verge of tearing out her hair. "It doesn't hurt."

"I'm sorry, Director, but I will not take limited time out of my work day to get a test that I know will come up negative."

Kyoko growled. "If you're so sure, then why not do it and prove me wrong?"

Ren stubbornly shook his head and replied, "There's no need to prove you wrong."

"Yes, there is! Be ABSOLUTELY SURE that it isn't it, and I'll drop it!"

"Come on, Ren," Yashiro added. "Just do it. It won't take long."

Ren averted his gaze. He did not like where this was going. If there was anything Ren hated, it would be neglecting work. He was already scrunched on time as it was. Running to the doctor right at the start of the day would completely push him behind schedule.

"Look," he replied in stern voice, "I've had the chickenpox. I distinctly remember having it. Isn't that enough?"

"You yourself said it was when you were nine," Kyoko argued desperately. "Your memory could be mistaken! It could have possibly been something else!"

"Mogami-san, as an actor, I would hope that my ability to remember is accurate. So I assure you that I'm not mistaken about this, even if it was years ago."

Kyoko let out a cry of frustration as she flung her hands in the air. "You're impossible!"

"Ren, just get a quick check," Director Ogata insisted in a kind voice. "It shouldn't take too long."

He sighed and shook his head. "Director, the nearest medical center here is at least 30 minutes away. If there was one closer, I—"

"—would get it checked out?"

Everyone quickly turned around and saw President Lory, dressed in a full suit of silk imperial robes, standing behind them with his hands linked behind his back. He had a firm look upon his face and frowned. "Well, Ren? If there was one close by, will you go and get it checked?"

Ren narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Yes," he replied slowly. "I will, if there was one close by."

President Lory beamed. "Well lucky for you, I hired a doctor on hand today because of the outbreak. He's actually in my office as we speak. So why not do a quick run up and see if Mogami-kun is right?"

Kyoko enthusiastically turned to her mentor with glowing eyes. She didn't say a word as she stared into his face, but her expression said it all: _please._

Ren glowered. He hated being won out like this. It was highly unfair. Shouldn't it be his choice of whether or not he wanted to go? He was a grown man after all. Ren didn't need someone to tell him when or when not to go and get a check-up.

But while staring in her hopeful face, Ren realized that Kyoko sincerely had good intentions. And in spite of everything, wasn't this a sign that showed just how much she cared about him?

"_Or more like a sense of duty," _Ren thought.

He sighed pathetically and shook his head.

"Please Tsuruga-san," Kyoko whispered as she looked at him with a pleading expression. "Just one quick check. It will really mean a lot to me."

"Why?" he asked in a quiet murmur.

"Because I don't want to miss out on valuable time with you on set."

Ren froze with his eyes locked on hers. Her words were harmless enough, but at the same time he couldn't deny the surge of happiness that welled up inside of him. Maybe a part of her truly did care about him.

And knowing that he had fully lost against her, Ren warily ran a hand through his hair and groaned. "Alright."

The group cheered—even Director Ogata smiled as he saw Ren's defeated expression.

"I'll go," Ren continued in the same tone.

"But," he added in a firmer voice, "let me say this now, I know for a fact—no, I'm absolutely sure that I do NOT— I repeat, NOT—have the—"

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><p>"Chickenpox. It's definitely chickenpox," the doctor stated as he snapped his black bag shut. "I would advise plenty of bed-rest for the next couple of days or so as the virus runs its course. He should be better by the end of the week."<p>

"Yes sir," Yashiro said politely with a bow of his head. "I'll get right on that."

"And here's a prescription for some calamine lotion too. He will need it."

"Thank you, sir," Yashiro replied.

Then with a slight bow of his head, the elderly doctor exited the office without another word.

Yashiro looked over his shoulder and smiled amusedly. The state of his friend was both humorous and heart-wrenching. Ren had had his drooping head in his hands for the last ten minutes. He hadn't moved an inch. With a quiet sigh, Yashiro was about to approach him with some consoling words to offer when a quiet knock suddenly sounded upon the oak doors of President Lory's office.

After one last look at the sorrowful actor, Yashiro walked to the door and pushed it open, seeing none other than Kyoko's anxious face.

"So?" she pressed. "Is it?"

Yashiro let out a wary laugh. "Yes, it is."

It was clear that Kyoko wanted to cry out in glee. She looked like she had won the lottery, but before a sound could escape her lips, Yashiro put up a hand to stop her. She raised an eyebrow in surprise, but quickly understood when Yashiro gestured to the patient inside the room.

Kyoko smiled sadly. It was highly inaccurate to say that she wanted Ren to have the chickenpox. She just wanted to prove him wrong—or more like burst his over-inflated ego when it came to his health. He was always the one who refused to accept the fact that he did not have the health of superman even if he did have "expert training" on his physical body. But while looking at his hunched figure, Kyoko sighed and leaned against the door.

"He looks devastated."

Yashiro chuckled under his breath. "Well, he's definitely taking it pretty hard."

"I didn't want him to be sick," Kyoko said with a pout.

"I know you didn't, Kyoko-chan."

She smiled gratefully. "So what now?"

"The doctor told him to go home for the next few days. So it looks like I'll be rescheduling all of his appointments and interviews for the rest of the week."

Kyoko shook her head. "He's definitely not going to like that," she said, knowing full well what her mentor's reaction was going to be.

"Well, there's nothing he can do about it, can he?" Yashiro replied as he glanced over his shoulder once more. "If he wants to get better fast, he has to do as he's told."

Kyoko laughed at Yashiro's stern tone. She rarely ever witnessed his serious side and it was interesting to see him so adamant.

"But you know," Yashiro said in a sadder tone, "I wish I could make him feel happier somehow. His depressing mood is really starting to get to me."

She nodded thoughtfully and added, "Me too. I don't like seeing him so upset."

Yashiro turned to her and smiled. Kyoko was incredibly sweet. She always had a tendency to care about others, even though she believed she had lost the capacity to do so. It was practically in her genes to be so considerate.

"_That must be why he cares so much about her,"_ Yashiro thought.

Then suddenly, it hit him. Yashiro froze as the greatest idea he had ever formulated entered his mind. It was perfect. There was no way it could go wrong. Not only would Ren be taken care of, but he would also be in higher spirits and there was no harm in that, right? Yashiro grinned widely.

"Perfect."

Kyoko arched an eyebrow in curiosity when she turned her gaze away from Ren's slumped figure to Yashiro. "What's perfect?" she murmured.

Yashiro quickly shook his head and replied, "Oh nothing! I just thought of a new way to move his appointments around. But never mind that. Anyway, Kyoko-chan, can I ask you to do something important for me?"

"Sure, Yashiro-san," she replied with a nod. "How can I help?"

"Well, Kyoko-chan, you're aware that I haven't had the chickenpox yet, right?"

She nodded.

"And so, I'm not exactly the best equipped person to take care of Ren."

She didn't reply.

"I mean, how much help can I be if I can't even be in the same room?"

Kyoko gulped. "Yashiro-san, what are you implying?"

He smiled brightly. "Do you think you can take care of him for the week until he feels better?" he asked in a cheery voice.

"WHAT?" Kyoko screeched.

Yashiro shushed her with a flail of his hand, quickly glancing over his shoulder to see if Ren was disturbed, but from the looks of it, he hadn't even noticed they were in the room.

"Yashiro-san!" she hissed in a lower voice. "That's absolutely ridiculous!"

"Why? You've taken care of him before when he was sick."

"That was because I was his manager!" Kyoko replied defensively. "The time called for it!"

Yashiro gave her a critical look. "So you really don't care about his well-being?"

Kyoko fell silent.

He sighed heavily and shook his head. "I guess that time really was out of sense of duty, wasn't it?"

"No," she whispered with downcast eyes. "That's not true."

Yashiro turned to look at her. "No?"

Kyoko exhaled deeply and asked instead, "Why me, Yashiro-san?"

He smiled. "Because you've had the chickenpox before, because you've taken care of him before, and because he trusts you."

She had to admit that those were valid reasons, except for that last one. It seemed very biased so she didn't take much from it, but the other ones made some sort of sense. Since she did have the chickenpox before, she was the least likely person to get it again. And Ren was definitely not capable of taking care of himself. Heck, he could barely take care of himself when he was healthy.

And Yashiro had enough on his plate as a manager without having the responsibility of watching over Ren as a nurse too. Not to mention the fact that Kyoko was quite convinced that Yashiro didn't really have much of an idea on how to care for someone with chickenpox since he never had it before. So it looked like Kyoko was the best candidate for the job.

She sighed in defeat.

"Okay."

"Okay what?" Yashiro asked innocently.

Kyoko bit on her lower lip. "I'll do it."

"You will?" he cried in glee. "This means a lot, Kyoko-chan! Thank you. "

She smiled warily. "Don't thank me yet. I need to get him better first, right?"

"Well, just stay with him and I think that will be more than enough to help him recover."

Although Kyoko was quite confused about the comment, she nodded nonetheless and said, "I guess I should go start now, then?"

Yashiro chuckled. "That sounds like a good idea."

Kyoko let out a deep, nervous breath, but with a quick shake of her head, she managed to come up with a small smile. Yashiro smiled reassuringly in return and exited the room, deciding to give the two some privacy. Then without any hint hesitation, she slipped through the door and silently walked up to Ren who had raised his head a fraction of an inch at her approach. He sighed darkly.

"Go on."

"Go on what?" she asked as she sat down beside him on the plushy, red couch.

"I told you so? Isn't that what you're going to say?"

Kyoko laughed, making Ren sit up straighter in surprise. "What's the point of saying it when you obviously know?"

Ren smiled gratefully.

"So," she began in a casual yet firm tone, "now that you know you're sick, you know what you have to do, right?"

He glared at the floor. "I can't believe it. This is exactly why I didn't want to know. I can't afford a day off."

"Yashiro-san said he could push things around. So you don't have to worry," she answered, deciding not to correct the fact that he would have to take a week off instead of a day.

Ren nodded and got to his feet, not fully reassured, but aware that that was the most he could get. "Then I guess I can't do anything else, but go home."

"Right," Kyoko agreed, as she stared up at him. "But you're not going to drive, are you?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "How else can I go home, Mogami-san?"

"A taxi."

"When I have a car?" he asked in a skeptical voice.

"Well, personally, I don't want to be in a car driven by someone who might come down with an itch frenzy any second now."

Ren froze. "What?"

Kyoko smiled tentatively.

"You don't think you can tackle this chickenpox by yourself, do you, Tsuruga-san?"

He stared at her with wide eyes. "What do you mean?" he murmured in confusion.

"I think you're going to need a little help from someone who has had it before," Kyoko answered.

She fluidly stood up from her seat and reached for her pink cell phone in the back pocket of her LoveME uniform.

Kyoko smiled.

"Should I call us a cab?"


	3. Chapter 3: LiveIn Nurse

Hi everybody! Hope you guys had a great week! So during my spare time, I wrote down chapter 3 and I hope you guys like it. I greatly appreciate the interest you guys have in my story because it helps me to get more creative. Haha, I do plan on throwing some plot twists in here, so hopefully you all will keep on reading. Thank you again! Please read and review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>Sipping his coffee in the LME café, Yashiro comfortably sat in his chair while glancing through Ren's schedule for the week upon the wooden table. He exhaled deeply as he flipped a page in the folder and began to scribble down a couple of notes along the margin. It was nice to have a few minutes to himself without any interruption. After all, being a manager meant that there was rarely ever a chance to relax and any opportunity that presented itself was well worth the wait. However, unfortunately for Yashiro, that time was incredibly cut short when he heard for the millionth time that day:<p>

ZZZZZZZZZ!

He peeked out of the corner of his eye at the phone upon the table.

ZZZZZZZZZ!

Yashiro shook his head warily, continuing to ignore the vibrating device since he knew exactly who would be on the other line.

ZZZZZZZZZ!

He sighed. That guy was absolutely relentless.

ZZZZZZZZZ!

That was it. Yashiro couldn't ignore the call anymore; besides, the noise was starting to stretch his already thin patience. So he carefully reached into his pant pocket and routinely took out his rubber glove.

ZZZZZZZZZ!

Then in one fluid motion, he picked up the moving cell and flipped the device open. "Yes?"

"What are you doing?" Ren demanded angrily.

"I'm drinking coffee."

"Not that," Ren growled. "What are you planning?"

"I'm not planning anything except trying to come up with a way to reschedule everything we set up this week."

"So Kyoko offering to come over is just a coincidence?" Ren asked in an accusatory tone.

Yashiro shrugged, scratching out another appointment with his red pen. "Sure, you can say that."

Ren sighed heavily. "Yashiro, this is ridiculous. I can't believe you actually told her to come."

"I did not tell her," he corrected firmly. "I ASKED her. There is a difference, you know. Where is she by the way?"

"In the pharmacy across the street," Ren replied in a hard voice.

"So you got home safely? Good!"

Ren shook his head as he lowered himself upon his dark couch. With the phone still at his ear, Ren leaned his head back and murmured quietly, "You are unbelievable. Do you enjoy watching me suffer?"

"Ren, do you really consider having your favorite girl responsibly taking care of you while you're sick as suffering? Because if you do, then you have quite a twisted view on life, don't you?"

He groaned. "It's bad enough I didn't listen to her before, but now she's going out of her way to help me recover? I might not be suffering, but she certainly is."

Yashiro smiled sympathetically. "Even though I asked her, she still had every right to refuse. So technically, she is there on her own free will." He decided to leave out the part where he played the guilty card on her. It wasn't important anyway.

"I can't believe I'm doing this to her again," Ren mumbled miserably with his arm draped across his eyes.

"Would you stop moping and enjoy the fact that she's there?" Yashiro demanded as he took one last sip from his coffee mug. "You're ruining my mood."

Ren didn't reply. He was suddenly preoccupied with the many new dots that had popped up on his arm in the last hour. They were unbearable! He frowned and scratched them, feeling better, but at the same time feeling worse because the itch suddenly grew in strength.

"Ren? Still there?"

"Yeah, I'm just a little—"

"TSURUGA-SAN!"

Ren jumped nearly ten feet in the air as he whipped his head around to the front door and saw Kyoko holding large brown paper bags in her arms. Her face was furious. She smoothly walked through and kicked the door shut while scolding, "I distinctly told you not to scratch!"

"Is that Kyoko-chan?" Yashiro asked with a grin, hearing her stern tone of voice through the phone.

Ren ignored Yashiro's comment and instead smiled sheepishly at Kyoko. "I'm sorry, Mogami-san, but it's starting to get _really_ itchy."

Kyoko huffed in irritation as she placed the bags on the seat beside him. "Is that Yashiro-san?"

Ren nodded.

"You shouldn't be on the phone," Kyoko advised in a gentler tone. "You should be in bed."

"Say no more," Yashiro replied with a pleased smile as he heard her distant disapproval. "Kyoko-chan's right. You need to rest, Ren. Feel better, but take your time doing so, okay?"

Ren groaned. "Yashiro, would you please—"

"Have fun!"

And the line went dead.

Ren irritably snapped his phone shut before he turned his attention back to the girl in front of him who was now rummaging through the grocery bags. She seemed to be in search of something because she took out a frozen chicken, bags of vegetables, broth, packs of noodles, medicine bottles, an ice pack, a thermometer, and band-aids before she finally retrieved a bottle of lotion.

Twisting the cap open, Kyoko sat herself down upon the couch and reached for his arm. "Did it get worse?"

Ren swallowed the nervousness that seemed to have settled in the middle of his throat before murmuring, "I think so." Kyoko's comfortable actions around him were really starting to take a toll.

"Yeah, looks like there are more now," she pointed out thoughtfully as she folded up his shirt sleeve to reveal his entire arm that was now redder than before.

"Great," he replied sarcastically.

She raised her head and smiled at his glum expression. "Well, thankfully, the doctor prescribed some calamine lotion that should help with the itch."

Then without another word, she squirted some of the lotion onto the palm of her hand and rubbed the cream onto his skin. She didn't seem fazed at all. In fact, she had such a stern look on her face that she didn't even notice Ren's frozen expression.

Ren couldn't deny the throbbing of his heart as he focused on the gentle movements of her hand that moved up and down his arm. The itch was suddenly the last thing on his mind. Although Kyoko had taken care of him before when he had had a fever, he couldn't remember exactly what she did to make him feel better. All he knew was that he woke up with no fever and that she had spent the whole night watching over him.

Now though, he was getting a first-handed look at how caring she really was. The softness of her skin and the small smile at the corner of her lips made his heart thump warmly. It was obvious that she put so much thought in all of her actions and she did it in an almost loving manner.

Ren smiled. She was absolutely amazing.

"There," Kyoko said with a triumphant look. "That should help."

"Thank you, Mogami-san," he murmured softly.

Kyoko froze.

"Not at all, Tsuruga-san!" she said in haste, quickly jumping to her now unstable feet. "I'm happy to help!"

And with a heart beating wildly out of her chest, Kyoko stumbled her way behind the couch and fussed with the groceries, preventing herself from staring into his gentle face for longer than common courtesy allowed.

Ren chuckled and smoothly turned his attention back down to his arm. He was quite used to her obvious nervousness that surfaced whenever he let a genuine smile slip. Although it was unsettling that she still acted stiff around him, at least her actions showed that she was somewhat affected by him too.

Then suddenly, Ren raised an eyebrow in surprise as his focus came back to his arm and its now pinkish complexion instead of its normal tanned color.

Kyoko glanced at his expression and smiled widely. "It's supposed to be that color."

"Pink?" Ren asked. "I don't remember the doctor mentioning that."

She laughed.

"And speaking of remembering," Kyoko added nonchalantly as she leaned on her arms against the headrest. "What did you _really_ have when you were nine?"

"What?" Ren asked in surprise.

"You said you had the chickenpox when you were nine, but you clearly have it now. So most likely, that wasn't it, now was it?"

Ren glowered. "It could have been. You can get the chickenpox twice, you know."

Kyoko grinned, knowing full well that the prospect of getting the pox twice was highly rare.

Ren twisted his body towards her and sighed, noticing the victorious gleam in her eyes. "Fine," he admitted, "the doctor said that most likely I had a rash or something."

Kyoko stifled a laugh. "Really? So you DIDN'T remember what you had? Oh my…"

"Alright, alright," Ren said with his hands raised in surrender. "I admit. I had too much faith in my…memorization skills."

She smiled and shook her head, saying, "Well, I guess it's an easy mistake, especially for someone with talents like you, Tsuruga-san."

"Is that a compliment?" he asked with a chuckle.

Kyoko averted her shy gaze. "Sort of."

"Then I thank you."

She turned beet red. Kyoko never knew what to say at times like these when her heart was all a-flutter and she seemed to have lost all the feeling in her legs. The atmosphere was practically strangling her for breath. But refusing to stand there like an idiot, Kyoko snatched up the bags of groceries in her arms and turned back to her serious expression once more.

"You should go get changed, Tsuruga-san."

"Why?" he asked while naturally extending a hand to help her with the bags.

Kyoko swiftly took a step back and shook her head. "No, you go get changed. By the end of the day, I promise you that more of the chickenpox is going to pop up and it will be in places that you wished they wouldn't. So wearing tight-fitting clothes won't help."

Ren stared at her with wide, shocked eyes. "You mean_—there_?"

Kyoko turned her head to the side in surprise at his almost horrified face. "If you're referring to your back and other hard to reach places, then yes," she answered in a clearly confused voice.

Immediately understanding his perverted mistake and wanting to beat himself over the head for it, Ren chuckled awkwardly and nodded as he lifted himself off the couch, exclaiming, "Right! Of course! That's what I meant!"

"Are you sure?" she asked in a doubtful voice. "What did you think I meant?"

"Nothing! Nothing! Just ignore what I said!" Ren exclaimed in haste. "Well, if you'll excuse me, Mogami-san, I'll go get changed then."

And without another word, Ren hurriedly walked down the hall to avoid Kyoko's unconvinced eyes. He couldn't believe what he just said. Was his mind so impure that THAT was the first thing that came to mind? He shook his head in absolute shame as he entered his large bedroom.

The monstrous-sized bed was neatly made like every morning and the white shades were pulled back to allow the afternoon sunlight to bathe the space in a hazy, yellow glow. Ren glanced at the clock over his dresser and saw that it was only 12:24. It was way too early to change into pajamas and get into bed, but Ren couldn't get himself to ignore Kyoko's advice. It wasn't like he was afraid of her or anything, but more like, her words had a direct link to his body and mind, rendering him useless against whatever she wanted.

So with a defeated sigh, he walked into his master bathroom and grabbed the pajamas neatly hung on the hook behind the door. He smoothly took off his collared shirt and was about to replace it with his navy pajama shirt when he noticed the change of his skin. Ren leaned in closer to the mirror and clearly saw the rise of new, red bumps all over his chest.

He tentatively ran a hand over them, and in an instant, an excruciating itch ensued all over his skin. Ren quickly clenched his hands into tight fists and brought them behind his back to resist temptation. Kyoko warned him in the taxi that if he scratched enough, the chickenpox would leave permanent scars and that was the last thing Ren needed as an actor.

So practicing every ounce of control he could muster, Ren quickly got into the rest of his pajamas, washed his face, and walked back into his bedroom. He pulled back the thick blankets and comfortably situated himself underneath the covers, exhaling deeply through the nose. At first, he just sat there, trying his very best to ignore the tingling feeling on his arms and chest.

But as every second passed, it was becoming harder and harder to dismiss it. Even the arm covered in lotion was starting to itch again. Ren groaned and thumped his head back onto the headboard. At this rate, he was never going to get any rest. And with a determination that was beginning to wane, he gingerly pulled up his right sleeve, ready to succumb to scratching, when his mind was suddenly filled with the memory of a warm, soft hand brushing against his arm.

Ren smiled tenderly. And at that moment, he realized that Kyoko was absolutely right. He couldn't deal with the chickenpox alone. He needed help—or rather, her help.

Ren chuckled under his breath, pulling down the sleeve and murmuring to the empty room,

"I guess you're my cure, Kyoko."

* * *

><p>Kyoko placed the large pot onto the stove and turned the dial, releasing a red flame underneath. She gave a quick peek inside to check on the chicken before she finally covered the pot with a lid. Wiping her hand on the towel upon the kitchen counter, she continued removing items from the paper bags and began to place them in the proper cabinets.<p>

And just when she closed the pantry door, Kyoko distinctly heard the noise of a faucet being turned on and running water hitting the sink. She smiled.

"_He actually listened to me this time,"_ Kyoko thought with an almost smug expression. It was quite an accomplishment to get her mentor to do anything so she took her time basking in her own success as she happily heard the water continue to run.

Reassured that he was getting into bed as she said, Kyoko resumed her task of carefully putting all of the items away and making chicken-noodle soup. She had a knack when it came to tasks like these. She was always comfortable around the kitchen, so it wasn't much of a problem for her to act like a caretaker at all.

Besides, Kyoko promised Yashiro that she would help Ren recover as quickly as possible so that he could get back to work. And with such an important task upon her shoulders, Kyoko had to make sure that Ren was getting the best care she could provide.

And with that in mind, Kyoko took out the sheet of instructions when to apply the calamine lotion that the doctor had prescribed. From what she could tell, the doctor recommended at least four times a day or whenever necessary in places where the pox was at its worse.

"So his arm for one," she mumbled to herself.

But Kyoko knew that his arm was just the beginning. She had a pretty good guess that by the end of day, he was going to be COVERED in red bumps which meant she was going to apply a lot more lotion than expected.

Kyoko froze.

"_Wait, I'm applying the—?"_

She placed her head in her hands in horror. This couldn't be happening. There was no way she could do this. Rubbing lotion onto his arm was one thing, but what if he got it in—_other_ places?

Kyoko cringed at the thought.

It was no place for a pupil to do such a thing! Kyoko knew perfectly well how she stood alongside her mentor and willingly touching his naked skin was NOT part of the role. She was not going to rub her hands ALL OVER HIS BODY! Kyoko_ had_ to draw the line at his arm.

But at the same time, was she truly acting as a pupil right at that moment? After all, Kyoko was standing in his kitchen, rummaging through his drawers, making him food, and basically giving him orders on how to get better. Those tasks, no matter how she looked at it, were definitely not part of the pupil description either.

Kyoko sighed heavily and leaned her chin into the palm of her hand on the counter.

"If I'm not a pupil, then what am I?" she mumbled pathetically.

Then from out of the blue, the doorbell let out a single chime, waking Kyoko from her wandering thoughts.

"Mogami-san?" his curious voice called from down the hall.

And jumping to action, Kyoko quickly ran towards the door and yelled over her shoulder, "I got it, Tsuruga-san! Just stay in bed!"

And when she finally approached the front door, Kyoko stood upon her tip-toes and looked through the peephole with both of her hands upon the door. To her utmost surprise, it was the assistant of President Lory dressed in regular civilian clothing instead of the usual flashy ensembles he was forced or willingly chose to wear.

Highly puzzled, Kyoko fluidly opened the door and smiled warmly in greeting. "Hello."

"Good afternoon, Mogami-san. I don't mean to intrude, but I'm here to give you a couple of items that President Lory assumes you will need."

"Oh," Kyoko said in quiet astonishment as she opened the door wider. "Um…thank you."

"_How did he even know I was here?"_

"Not at all," he replied smoothly with a light bow of his head.

He then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a pair of car keys. "These belong to Tsuruga-san, of course," he stated. "His car is currently parked in the underground garage."

Kyoko nodded. "Thank you," she replied as she grasped the keys in her hand.

"And here are the company numbers you could call if you need anything," he said as he handed her a white sheet of paper.

"Um, right," Kyoko said uncertainly, having no clue as to why she would need those in the first place.

"Finally, this is a note from President Lory that he wishes for you to read right now."

Kyoko stared at the gold, metallic letter extended towards her. "Right now?"

The assistant nodded.

Furrowing her eyebrows, she confusedly accepted the piece of paper with her name neatly scrawled on top and unfolded it. It read:

**Hello Mogami-kun!**

**I was just informed by Yashiro that you agreed to take up the task of helping Ren recover from the chickenpox. I must say, I'm proud that you accepted this upon yourself. A great way to pursue the LoveMe mission, right? (**_**laughs**_**) Well, with respect to such a heavy load, I wanted to inform you that you do not need to worry about any other outside tasks besides the one you are completing now. I'm sure you'll have your hands full with that man so no need to add more to your plate. Do a good job!**

**Sincerely,**

**Lory**

**P.S. I took the liberty to prepare everything you would need for the week-long-stay and had them brought to you. I hope that helps.**

**P.P.S Don't let Ren read this.**

Kyoko stared at the written words, not fully registering what they meant. She couldn't wrap her mind around it. There had to be a mistake.

"Um, excuse me," she began with a nervous laugh, " but what did President Lory mean when he mentioned week-long—?"

Her jaw dropped open in shock.

There was no one in front of her. He was gone!

Turning her head this way and that, Kyoko scanned her surroundings, but there wasn't a soul in sight. It was like he vanished into thin air! And when her eyes finally made their way to the floor, she felt her heart stop dead in her chest.

There, sitting upon the hallway carpet, was her duffel bag that seemed to be chocked-full with items. Slowly kneeling upon the floor, Kyoko unzipped the bag with trembling hands to reveal the contents inside.

She gasped in terror.

"SINCE WHEN AM I SLEEPING OVER?" Kyoko shrieked, holding a brand new set of pink LoveMe pajamas in her grasp.


	4. Chapter 4: Complications

Hi everyone! First off, thanks again to everyone for all of the positive comments and advice. You guys are the greatest! As always, I sincerely hope you enjoy this one because I had quite some fun writing it, and I know it'll be even more fun when I write the part after. You'll see what I mean. XD Anyway, please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>Kyoko didn't know what to do. The situation felt like a never-ending nightmare, but the set of sleeping clothes in her trembling hands were all too real. This was getting completely ridiculous! Kyoko started out doing this as a favor for Yashiro, not as another assignment for LoveMe! And staying at Ren's place was just too absurd to even consider.<p>

Sure, she slept over before because at that time she was his manager! But this situation was entirely different and that meant staying over at his apartment was just out of the question.

"I can't do this," Kyoko whispered in a hoarse voice. "There's no way I can do this. I'll just tell President Lory that—"

_"That you'll what?"_

Kyoko froze.

_"That you're going to abandon him?"_

She didn't reply.

_ "Desert someone who's sick and obviously needs you?"_

Kyoko sighed heavily with her shoulders slumped in shame.

_"Are you really going to leave him just like that?"_

She shook her head with closed eyes.

"No, I'm not."

Even though Kyoko would have chosen a different solution entirely, she was aware that her purpose for staying at his place was important. It wasn't like Kyoko was there on vacation; she was there to help the number one actor of Japan recover. And such a drastic predicament called for drastic measures. In fact, if Kyoko really thought about it, sleeping in his guest bedroom didn't seem like a big deal. She had plenty of other things to worry about, like how to get him better as soon as possible.

"It's fine. Staying at his place is fine. I'll be fine," Kyoko chanted over and over again.

So with her mind fully made up, Kyoko fluidly stood and swung her heavy duffel bag over her shoulder. And quietly closing the front door shut, she lugged her large bag onto the black couch and draped the pajamas she held in her hand over the headrest.

Kyoko glared at the pink, LoveMe shirt and pants.

_"Couldn't President Lory have chosen a better logo?"_ she thought irritably before turning back to the kitchen. It was one of the worst designs she had ever seen and putting the symbol on pajamas didn't make it look any better.

Then, before she could take another step, Kyoko froze to standstill as she spotted Ren in navy, striped pajamas standing in the hallway with curious eyes.

"Who was that?"

Shaking her head vigorously and smoothly moving her hand with the note behind her back, Kyoko answered in a much louder voice than intended, "No one! No one! Just President Lory's assistant! He was dropping off some things."

Kyoko laughed nervously. This was bad—very, very bad. The President clearly informed her in the note that Ren should not read the letter which meant that there were some things he definitely couldn't know. Although Kyoko didn't fully understand the reasoning behind that at all, an order was an order. She had to keep the letter out of sight.

But when she saw suspicion flash in Ren's dark eyes, her other hand instinctively clenched into a fist and to her relief, Kyoko felt the tips of keys dig into the palm of her hand.

"Oh! And your car keys!" she exclaimed as she raised the keys higher and waved them in the air. "He brought back your car!"

"That's nice of him," Ren answered, clearly meaning to say something else, but would rather go through the hassle of drawing the whole story out of Kyoko herself.

"Isn't it?" she asked cheerfully.

Ren smiled. "Did he bring or say anything else?"

"Um...not really."

Ren's smile brightened. "Are you sure?" he asked in a silky voice.

"Of course I am!" Kyoko answered in a pitchy tone as she naturally took a step back.

"Then what's that gold note in the hand behind you?" Ren inquired with a smile that lit up like a monstrous flame.

Kyoko gulped. "_CRAP, HE SAW IT!"_

"NOTHING! NOTHING!" she exclaimed in haste, smoothly stepping backwards towards the kitchen.

"Why are you so curious today, Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko asked with a nervous chuckle. "You make it sound as if I'm hiding something from you! I would appreciate a little more trust!"

Ren's eyes narrowed as he took a step forward. "What's in the note, Mogami-san?"

Kyoko gulped. She couldn't let him see the note. Because not only did President Lory clearly state he couldn't read it, but if Ren saw that she was going to take a week off too, he was definitely going to force her out of here. After all, Ren was as much of a stickler about work as Kyoko was about health. There was no way he was going to let her miss out on anything, especially if it was for his sake. She just had to come up with a quick excuse as to why she won't be going to work.

But deciding to avoid the question for now, Kyoko demanded in a stern voice, "Tsuruga-san, you should be in bed!" Unfortunately, her words didn't sound very stern at all; it was almost accurate to say it sounded laughable.

"Let me see the note," Ren murmured, stepping forward again.

"There's nothing in the note!"

"Then why don't you prove it to me? And I'll let it drop."

Kyoko glared, recognizing the same words she demanded of him in the company when he refused to go to the doctor.

"There's no need to prove you wrong," Kyoko challenged back as her feet hit the cold marble floor of the kitchen.

Ren chuckled, amused at her shrewdness to answer with his own reply as well. "Just show me the note, Mogami-san."

"It doesn't have anything important!"

"I thought you said there was nothing in it?" Ren asked with a raised eyebrow.

Kyoko froze. "_SHIT!"_

And clearly seeing her decision to run flicker in her amber eyes, Ren took a quick step to the left and successfully caught a running Kyoko straight into his arms. He squeezed her tightly with one arm around her torso and quickly reached behind her back with the other, all the while feeling her thrash and yell, "No! No! No!"

Ren tightened his hold around her, pressing her face to his muscular chest and muffling her yells. Then in one swift motion, he snatched the gold note out of her grasp.

As soon as he heard Kyoko's sharp intake of breath in shock, he strengthened his arm around her slim waist and held her to his body for two reasons: one, so that she wouldn't try to grab for the letter again, and two, just because he wanted to.

Raising the note high above her head, Ren quickly scanned the message with a reading capacity that could match a computer's. After years of memorizing lines and acting, he developed quite a skill for speed-reading which meant he didn't need a lot of time to see what it said and (regrettably) to fully comprehend what it meant either.

Kyoko stopped moving. It was too late. In any other circumstance, she would have flushed scarlet at the close proximity of their bodies and swiftly moved away, but her mind was too clouded with anxiety as she waited for his reaction.

_"He's going to make me leave,"_ she thought in panic. _"He's going to tell me to go."_

But Kyoko didn't want to leave. She had already made up her mind to stay and there was no one who could make her go! But if he was the one who demanded her dismissal, there was no way she could fight back—could she?

Ren, on the other hand, was frozen like a statue. In a way, he felt like he was running on empty except for the words "agreed to," "mission," and "job" that whizzed around his head, taunting his already torn heart as he reread the letter over and over again. It was just as he suspected. Kyoko was here for an assignment, not for him. It was never for him.

And even though he was prepared for this circumstance beforehand, Ren had never abandoned the hope that maybe that prospect could change. It was barely a glimmer, but that hope was enough for Ren to believe in so he could enjoy her company without thinking otherwise. But seeing the words written on paper only proved to him how wrong he was. There wasn't any room for change. Ren was forever her mentor and that was that. Why go through the pain of hoping when there was nothing left to hope for?

He sighed.

"You should go, Mogami-san," Ren said quietly as he released his grip around her. He took a step back and turned his eyes away from her face. "You don't have to stay."

"Tsuruga-san," Kyoko began in a slightly desperate tone, fully prepared for his response, "you still have the chickenpox. I can't leave."

Ren shook his head. "I'll be fine."

"You can't do this alone!"

"And you can't miss out on work," he replied firmly, coming up with a quick reason to get her to go. "Don't worry. This assignment isn't for you to take."

Kyoko froze.

"Assignment?" she murmured.

Ren exhaled deeply. "I'm sure LoveMe will give you a new task that doesn't require you to go through so much trouble. It's fine. You can leave, Mogami-san."

Kyoko was absolutely paralyzed for words. Why did that simple statement cut so deep? She continued to stare into his ominous face with wide eyes, feeling her heart quiver. Kyoko didn't understand why the word "assignment" tasted so bitter on her tongue. She couldn't even get herself to say it. It didn't seem to fit. This was never an assignment for her. That was not what Kyoko felt it was at all.

When Ren didn't hear her reply, he turned his attention back to her face and surprisingly saw her eyes ridden with shock and—anguish? But figuring his eyes were deceiving him with what he wanted to see, Ren gave a slight shake of his head and walked towards the couch.

"Don't worry. I can take care of myself."

Kyoko didn't reply.

"I mean, I'm not _that_ incompetent."

He chuckled weakly and shook his head.

"I'll go get your stuff, Mogami-san."

But just as he extended a hand towards the duffel strap, he suddenly heard her murmur behind him:

"Do you want me to leave?"

Ren stopped.

"Am I really that bothersome?" Kyoko asked in a barely audible whisper.

He slowly turned around and saw her painful smile. She shook her head.

"I'm just that useless, aren't I?"

And that was when it hit him. Ren couldn't believe his foolish mistake. He was ruining everything that he had ever worked for. Because right at that moment, he completely disregarded the most important thing that mattered: her feelings. This wasn't about him at all. This was all about her and how she wanted to stay. And if he persistently kept pushing her to go, Kyoko was the one who was going to end up hurt. It wasn't her fault that she thought of this as more of a job than anything. It was just who she was.

But if Ren was insensitive to that and continued to force her to leave, she was going to assume that he hated her. Because in spite of everything, Kyoko believed that Ren only sees her as a pupil as she sees him as a teacher. Therefore, as her mentor, the logical assumption was that he would be more than accepting of the fact that she was taking up this assignment. It was almost accurate to say it was his duty to be supportive because he was her teacher…

_"And that won't change."_

He exhaled deeply. So with that agonizing thought in mind, Ren closed his eyes for a split second before he resurfaced with a cheerful expression that was as plastic as a doll. He had to cover up everything for the sake of the weak relationship between them. Ren didn't want to lose her over something like this. Even if it was a connection based solely on titles, it was better than not having anything with her at all.

So with a forced chuckle, he replied with a smile, "Where did you get that idea? I don't think you're useless."

"You don't?" she asked in a small, uncertain voice.

Ren shook his head. "No, Mogami-san. In fact, if there's anyone who can help me get over this infection, it would be you."

He laughed lightly and leaned his hands against the couch.

"I just don't want you to feel that you're required to do this," he continued in the same voice. "I'm in no way forcing you."

She nodded mechanically.

"So this is truly up to you," he said with a slight turn of his head. "So…do you still want to stay?"

Kyoko raised her gaze and murmured in a quiet voice, "Yes, I want to help you get better."

Ren's smile softened. "Then please stay."

She returned his smile with a bit more enthusiasm as she realized that he wasn't making her leave. He was actually letting her stay. But Kyoko couldn't help but see that there was something off in his expression. Although he wasn't displaying the gentlemanly smile she came to know and fear, she noticed that his eyes didn't seem to match. It was almost as if they were completely frozen over.

But before she could catch another glance, Ren had already turned his back on her and was walking back down the hall. "I guess I should go back to bed then."

Kyoko nodded vigorously, picking up her role as nurse once more. "Right! You should."

Ren chuckled. Then with one last, stiff smile over his shoulder, he walked back towards his bedroom, but not before placing the metallic, golden letter upon the table beside the couch.

Kyoko silently followed his footsteps until she stood behind the couch with her hands clasped together, staring down the now empty hallway. Then very slowly, her amber eyes trailed to the wrinkled letter he had set upon the wooden counter.

"Assignment, huh?"

Kyoko sighed sadly.

"I guess I really am only a pupil after all."

* * *

><p>Ren had been sitting in bed for over an hour now. His back was leaning against the headboard and his hands were placed faced-down on top of the covers. And all the while, Ren was absent-mindedly looking down at his shirt sleeve, focusing intently on the sound of her movements in the kitchen.<p>

He could distinctly hear when she opened the pantry door, when she turned on the oven, when she was cutting up the vegetables, and when she washed the dishes. Kyoko was obviously putting in a lot of effort. She never once stopped; it was just a constantly flurry of noise.

He sighed heavily. "She must really want to do a good job," Ren murmured to himself.

And as soon as those words left his mouth, Ren's mood darkened until it was about as black as motor oil. Even though he had been repeating to himself over and over again that he couldn't do anything about it, that Kyoko would never choose to be with him willingly, he couldn't find the will within himself to fully accept it.

He groaned and closed his eyes in wariness. He was getting absolutely nowhere.

And as if he wasn't frustrated enough, the itch all over his body had suddenly started up again. Ren gritted his teeth together. He had to refrain. He had to be strong. HE MUST NOT SCRATCH.

"You don't want scars. You don't want scars. You don't want scars."

…

"Don't scratch."

…

"It's not itchy."

…

Ren growled. This wasn't working. If anything, he was making himself even more irritated with the incessant chanting. And just when he lifted his hand off the covers in defeat, he suddenly heard:

"Tsuruga-san?"

Ren's hand stopped in midair as he turned to the door. Kyoko was standing at the entrance to his bedroom with a wooden tray in her hands that had a bowl of steaming chicken noodle soup. She smiled tentatively. "How do you feel?"

"Alright," he answered with a forced smile.

Kyoko frowned, clearly doubtful about his response. He obviously didn't look "alright." So with furrowed eyebrows she walked into the room and placed the tray on his bedside table. "Are there more now?" she asked suspiciously.

Ren had every intention to lie. He didn't want to make her go through any more trouble than she already was, but with every passing second the itch was getting stronger. In the end, he found himself murmuring, "I think so," as he gazed down at his pajama sleeve in shame.

Yet oddly enough, the strongest itch wasn't coming from his arm. In fact, it was more accurate to say it was coming from his back. And what was even more surprising was that Kyoko understood without him having to say a word.

"It spread back there, didn't it?" she asked with a slight smirk as the mood began to lift from her amused smile.

Ren glowered, yet all the more pleased to see her humorous side again.

She smiled widely. "Well, I got just the thing," Kyoko replied as she reached in the pocket of her LoveMe uniform and retrieved the same bottle of calamine lotion.

He laughed warmly and said in a grateful tone, "Thanks, Mogami-san."

"You're welcome, Tsuruga-san. Well, I guess I can—"

Kyoko froze.

_"Oh no. This is it. Do I put lotion onto his back or not? I mean, it's not like he would be able to reach it even with his long arms. So I have to…right? There's no other choice…right? RIGHT?"_

Ren stared at her frozen expression with wide eyes. "Mogami-san?"

She jumped. "YES?"

He chuckled amusedly. "Is anything wrong?" he asked as he leaned towards her.

"No! No! Nothing! Um, well, Tsuruga-san, if you're—um, really itchy back there, I guess you have to—um—take off—you know—your—shirt."

He faltered. "My shirt?"

She turned her flustered gaze away and nodded.

Ren had no idea what to say. Kyoko just told him to take off his shirt and he WASN'T dreaming. It was way too good to be true. This was such a sudden turn of events that Ren felt dizzy just thinking about it. A part of him even tried to tell him that he was imagining things, yet the way she turned away from his eyes could not be disregarded. She was really telling him to undress.

And it seemed his body had a mind of its own because his hands were already making their way towards the buttons before he could even think of refusing.

Kyoko sucked in a deep breath as she noticed his movement. He was doing it. He was actually doing it.

She had to keep her cool. She had to remain clam. Besides, she was the one who told him to take his shirt off. Kyoko just had to relax.

One button undone…

_"I'm fine. I'm fine."_

Two buttons…

_"It won't take too long. It's only a little lotion."_

Three…

_"I'm here to help. I'm only here to help."_

Four…

_"Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!"_

Five…

_"CRAP! CRAP! CRAP!"_

And with the last button undone, Ren smoothly shuffled out of his navy shirt and let it slip off of his broad shoulders. He then raised his smoldering, brown eyes and stared straight into her flushed face.

Kyoko's breath shook dangerously.

_"Oh god…"_


	5. Chapter 5: Drawing Intimacy

Hello everyone! Hope everyone had a good week! Well, once again, here is part 5 of my story and I must admit, I had quite a lot of fun writing this. LOL. And hopefully you guys will have just as much fun reading it. Thanks again for all the feedback! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>Kyoko's hands trembled uncontrollably. It was a miracle that she wasn't having a heart attack right at that moment because the only thing she could focus on was the contours of his chest. If she believed Ren was physically perfect before, he was basically a God the way he looked now. It didn't even matter that he was covered in chickenpox. She just couldn't tear her eyes away.<p>

He was more chiseled than she could have ever perceived. But at the same time, Ren wasn't overly muscular either. In fact, the size of his muscles was perfect. Even without flexing, his arms were nicely toned and the planes upon his chest were smooth and flat. It was no wonder that he was Japan's most attractive man. Suddenly to Kyoko, the definition of attractive became him—chickenpox and all.

"Mogami-san?"

Shaken awake, Kyoko blinked a few times to clear her vision before stammering, "Y-y-y-y-yes, Tsuruga-san?"

He smiled. "Is everything alright?"

Kyoko laughed nervously and replied with a flail of her hand, "Of course! Of course it is! Everything is fine! I'm fine! How about you? Are you fine?"

Ren chuckled. "Well, I guess you could say I'm a little itchy."

She stopped.

Kyoko couldn't believe her outright immaturity. In the midst of her childish reaction, she completely forgot the reason as to why he was taking off his shirt in the first place. Kyoko wasn't there to stare at his perfectly, muscled chest! She was supposed to be treating the pox he had on his back! WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS SHE DOING?

So with a frown upon her lips, Kyoko gave her head a vigorous shake before saying sternly, "I'm sorry, Tsuruga-san. I'll focus now."

"You weren't before?" he asked with a smile that seemed more devilish than curious.

Kyoko's eyes widen in horror. "I WAS! I SWEAR I WAS!"she exclaimed in earnest.

He laughed as he fluidly turned his eyes away from her face. The blatant blush upon her cheeks was doing wonders on his ego. Ren had to admit that the awed look in her eyes not only made his heart beat rapidly, but it also made him feel slightly confident. After all, how could she possibly gaze at him so intensely if she only saw him as her mentor? Was that even possible to do?

But as soon as the thought entered his mind, Ren frowned and shook his head. _"No, stop getting your hopes up. Don't over think it."_

This was exactly why he was getting hurt left and right. Ren had too high of hopes when it came to her. He just had to expect that nothing was going to happen and there would never be any room for disappointment.

So with a deep and somewhat saddened sigh, he turned his head back to her, but realized that she had suddenly situated herself behind him. He twisted his head around and saw that she had the most determined look upon her face. She seemed to be concentrating very hard.

Sitting criss-crossed upon the covers, Kyoko fluidly uncapped the bottle of calamine lotion and squirted the pale cream onto her hand. Then in a voice she hoped was steady, Kyoko asked, "Where do you want me to start, Tsuruga-san?"

He blinked a few times in surprise before finally replying, "The lower back, if that's okay."

She nodded and without any hesitation, she placed the palm of her hand onto his back and made circular motions across his skin. Focusing solely on the texture of the cream, Kyoko kept her eyes on the red dots upon his back. If she didn't think about whom she was touching and what she was touching, Kyoko wouldn't freeze up. She just had to focus.

As for Ren, he was in absolute heaven. Not only was the girl of his dreams touching him in such an intimate manner, but the feeling of absolute satisfaction as her hands ran up and down his back nearly made him want to groan in pleasure. The itch didn't fade in the slightest, but the touch of her skin and the texture of the velvet lotion sent shivers down his spine. It felt like paradise.

But just as soon as it began, Kyoko's hands fell still as she leaned back to take a good look at her work. The cream was evenly distributed all over his back by now, leaving a pale pink color upon his skin. She smiled. Kyoko was quite proud that she finished the task without freezing up once. Maybe she was stronger than she thought.

"Done already?" Ren asked with a twinge of disappointment in his voice.

Kyoko stifled a laugh. "Yes, but are you still itchy?"

Even though he strongly wanted to say yes, Ren figured it was really unfair to say so. Kyoko was doing more than enough and he sincerely didn't want to be a hassle. After all, Ren was a gentleman, even underneath all of those hidden desires.

So with a smile, he turned his head towards her and answered, "No, I'm all better. Thank you again, Mogami-san."

She smiled brightly. "Not at all, Tsuruga-san. It was my pleasure."

Kyoko froze at her irresponsible comment.

"Wait! Wait!" she exclaimed quickly. "I'm glad to have applied the lotion, Tsuruga-san! Not touching you! That's not my pleasure at all!"

Ren raised an eyebrow.

"I MEAN! It's not like it was bad! I actually enjoyed—! No! I mean, it was fine that I did! I didn't hate it or anything! But I didn't like it either!"

Kyoko dug her hands into her hair in desperation. "Okay, this is coming out all wrong! I'm so sorry, Tsuruga-san! What I meant was—!"

Ren lifted a hand and laughed. "It's okay, Mogami-san. You don't have to explain. I understand perfectly well what you mean."

She exhaled deeply in relief. "You do?" she asked.

He nodded, although he couldn't suppress the grin that was beginning to form on the corners of his mouth. Her flustered reactions were just too sweet to ignore. But deciding to give her ease of mind, Ren dropped the topic and asked instead, "So, should I put on my shirt again?"

Grateful that her humiliation was over, Kyoko shook her head. "Not yet, the lotion needs to dry first."

Then turning her attention to the wooden tray upon the bedside table, Kyoko reached over for the spoon and bowl of soup and continued with, "But while you're waiting, you can eat something."

Ren smiled apologetically. "Thank you, Mogami-san, but I'm really not that hungry."

"It doesn't matter," Kyoko replied in a hard voice as she placed the bowl and spoon into his hands. "You have to have fluids in your body. And chicken noodle soup has been proven to help with sickness, you know."

Ren chuckled. "I don't feel sick."

"Well, let's hope it stays that way," Kyoko retorted as she leaned back against the headboard, making no sign to take the food back.

So with a defeated smile, Ren nodded and replied, "If you say so."

But before eating her homemade soup, Ren had fully expected her to climb out of his bed since she normally tried to put as much distance between them as possible. In fact, he even patiently waited for her movement, yet to his utmost surprise, she remained where she was. And even more shockingly, her amber eyes were intently locked onto his as if she was almost challenging him.

"Yes?" Ren asked uncertainly.

"Aren't you going to eat it?"

He laughed and nodded. "Yes, I will."

Kyoko crossed her arms. "Well, go on," she pressed.

"You're going to watch me?"

She nodded.

He chuckled in disbelief and replied, "I would appreciate a little more trust, Mogami-san."

Kyoko scoffed. "I'll trust you after you finished everything."

Ren sighed heavily and gave a wary shake of his head. "You're unbelievable," he murmured as he lifted the now soup-filled spoon to his lips. And in absolute silence (besides the quiet sounds of his slurping) Ren gradually ate his lunch without a single complaint. Of course, it wasn't like there was anything to complain about since the soup was amazing. For someone who rarely ever ate like Ren, Kyoko made the task incredibly easy for him.

Meanwhile, Kyoko forcefully kept her eyes on his back, thinking it would be incredibly rude to actually watch someone eat. It was very intruding even if it was only from behind. However, Kyoko had to admit that it was nice to see how he wasn't putting up too much of a fight. She even had a speech prepared about the importance of food and everything, but apparently Ren was just too tired to retaliate.

But while patiently waiting for her mentor to finish his soup, Kyoko suddenly realized something interesting about his back. If she stared with enough concentration, she could actually imagine tiny pictures with the red dots upon his skin. It was almost like she was playing a mental game of connect the dots. Kyoko smiled widely.

"Wow…"

Ren arched an eyebrow at the sound and twisted around. "What's wow?"

Raising her gaze in surprise, Kyoko shook her head vigorously and said, "Oh nothing! Nothing! Just keeping myself entertained."

"With what?"

Kyoko's ears turned red. "Pictures," she answered in a small voice.

Ren chuckled with clear confusion in his brown eyes. "What pictures?"

"On your back."

Ren's eyes widen in shock as he fluidly shifted around so that he completely faced her. "There are pictures on my back?"

Stunned by the appearance of his chiseled chest once more, she laughed nervously and replied in a pitchy voice, "Not like that! I mean, from the chickenpox. When you connect the dots together, you can make little pictures."

Ren turned his head to the side with slightly narrowed eyes ridden with puzzlement. "Connect the dots? Is that a game?"

Kyoko raised both of her eyebrows in surprise. "You've never played connect the dots before, Tsuruga-san?"

He shrugged and shook his head. "I guess not," he answered. "How do you play?"

"Well, it's exactly as it sounds—you connect the dots. Like this," she explained as she made a line in the air. "You draw a line between two points."

Ren nodded thoughtfully. "So you were doing that on my back?"

She smiled guiltily and answered, "Yes."

Coming from his mouth, it sounded incredibly weird.

"Well, I want to see," Ren said in an eager voice as if he was missing out on something amazing.

"It's on your back," Kyoko replied with a suppressed laugh. "How can I show you?"

Ren smiled and suddenly extended his arm towards her. "Show me here."

"Your arm?"

He nodded. "It has dots too," he pointed out.

She laughed and shook her head. "It's really not that big of a deal, Tsuruga-san."

Ren frowned and motioned to his arm, saying, "I still want to see."

Kyoko looked at him doubtfully. This was ridiculous. Playing connect the dots on his chickenpox covered arm? Now that definitely wasn't prescribed by the doctor.

But even though it sounded childish, she couldn't get herself to say no. The pleading look in his eyes was just too strong to ignore. He sincerely wanted her to show him. So with a wary smile, Kyoko gently grasped his warm hand and stretched out his arm even farther, trying to find an image that she could make. Then pointing a finger at one of the dots, she slowly moved from one pox to another to make a basic outline of a figure that Ren followed with his eyes.

"See?" she said in a cheerful voice. "A rabbit."

Ren furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't see it."

Kyoko frowned. "How can you not see it? Here are the ears and here's the body," she explained as she redrew the same outline with her finger.

Ren chuckled, feeling a shiver ripple down his spine from her tender touch. "I guess I'm more of a 'visual' kind of learner," he answered with a boyish smile.

Then with an amusing new idea in mind, he suddenly snapped his fingers together, leaned over to the bedside table, placed the now empty bowl and spoon on top, and opened the drawer. Withdrawing a black pen, Ren leaned back towards Kyoko and handed her the writing utensil.

She reluctantly accepted it, all the while asking, "What's this for?"

"Like I said, I'm a visual learner. So I need to the see the lines explicitly."

Kyoko froze.

"You're not implying I should draw on you, are you?"

Ren laughed. "That's exactly what I'm implying."

"Tsuruga-san! I can't draw on you! That's just…weird!"

"No, it's not. You were doing it earlier. Now, I'm just asking you to show me what you drew with a pen," he explained as he stretched his arm back towards her so that his hand rested on her knee, palm-up.

Kyoko shook her head, feeling butterflies instantly flutter in her stomach at his innocent touch. "No, I'm not doing that," she said in a slightly strained voice to keep the nervousness from rising.

"Mogami-san, this was my idea, which means I want you to. It's not like this will make me feel worse. In fact, this game might even take my mind off of the itch."

Kyoko narrowed her eyes, clearly unconvinced.

"I'm serious," Ren said in earnest. "Focusing on your drawings will really help me."

"Really?" she asked with obvious suspicion in her voice.

He nodded.

Kyoko let out a puff of air. This didn't seem very professional and even though it was true that the ink wouldn't harm him, she couldn't muster up the courage to start drawing on him. It was absolutely rude! Not to mention the fact, that she would be touching him _even more_ if she did.

Ren sighed heavily. "Mogami-san, it's just pen ink. It'll wash off."

She didn't answer.

"Okay, how about just the rabbit then?" Ren pressed. "I do want to see that one."

Kyoko rolled her eyes. "Are you sure about this?"

"Positive," he answered with a bright, sincere smile.

And slightly dazzled by his twinkling aura, Kyoko pathetically surrendered and said in an unstable voice, "Fine, but only the rabbit."

Uncapping the pen, she tentatively held Ren's left arm in her left hand and started at the crook of his arm. Picking the same dot she started from earlier, Kyoko slowly began to connect the points together until she drew a black outline of a round rabbit that had two long, floppy ears.

"See it now?" Kyoko asked with a tiny bit of sarcasm.

Ren chuckled. "Sort of. It's definitely clearer."

Kyoko smiled widely.

"But you know," Ren began slowly, "I see something else too."

"Like what?"

"Well, I see a car," he answered as he reached for the pen in her hand. And without any hesitation, he drew in similar lines that revealed the sketch of a Volkswagen beetle beside her rabbit.

Kyoko laughed. "That's pretty good."

"Think you can do one better?" Ren challenged with amused eyes as he pointed the pen back at her.

She scoffed and easily took the pen, saying in a proud voice, "I'm pretty sure I can."

Pulling his arm towards her once again with surprisingly more ease this time, Kyoko stared down at her dotty canvas to try to come up with a new picture, all the while clearly not noticing Ren's softened expression as he stared into her face.

"Oh! I see," she began in an eager voice, "a house." And right near his wrist was the black outline of a square house with a chimney.

Ren smiled. "That's pretty good."

"Pretty good?" Kyoko repeated in a clearly offended voice. "You can do one better?"

Ren smirked. "Of course, I can."

Kyoko smiled and handed him the pen. "Then by all means," she replied with a gesture for him to continue.

And before they had even realized it, the happy couple was suddenly immersed in their innocent game, forgetting all about time, the chickenpox, and practically everything around them. All that existed were the red dots, the black pen, and the evident sounds of their laughter that echoed throughout the now bright and cheerful bedroom.

* * *

><p>With a quiet moan, Kyoko lazily draped her arm across her eyes and turned to her side. Slowly, she was starting to wake up again, feeling all of her senses return to her after shutting down for a trip to dreamland. Although she still had her eyes closed, Kyoko figured it was pretty late into the day. She felt like she had slept for hours. Stretching her arms high above her head, Kyoko eventually lifted herself up to a sitting position and rubbed her eyes.<p>

When her vision finally cleared up, her heart thudded to a complete stop.

SHE WAS LYING IN BED WITH REN!

If he wasn't sleeping so serenely, she would have let out a blood-curling scream! She couldn't believe she slept in his bed! Although he wasn't anywhere near her (he was at the foot of the bed while she was at the headboard), Kyoko couldn't help but feel the heat instantly rush to her face. If someone saw, they would have completely gotten the wrong idea!

And like an electric shock to her body, Kyoko quickly jumped up and was about to throw the covers off of her when Ren suddenly turned over to his side, facing her.

She stopped.

Staring into his gentle face, Kyoko strangely felt more at ease as she watched him sleep. He had on such a peaceful expression, as if he was dreaming about something really beautiful. The way his lips were curved into a small smile and how his silky hair fell right across his eyes made him seem almost surreal. Kyoko smiled tenderly.

"_He looks really sweet."_

Instantly, she smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand.

"_WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? NO, HE DOESN'T!"_

So giving her head a vigorous and disapproving shake, Kyoko carefully made her way out of the covers and planted her feet firmly on the ground. But just as she was about to leave, Kyoko suddenly realized that he didn't put his shirt back on. Glaring at her unreliability for not telling him to dress again, she silently tip-toed to the end of the bed and was about to drape the thick blanket over his naked shoulders when her hands froze in midair.

She gasped!

His left arm was covered in black ink! There were images of flowers, people, animals, food, and even words! Kyoko covered her mouth in blatant horror. She practically destroyed his arm! Sure, he drew half of the images, but she was the one who initiated the game!

With her head hung low in even more shame, Kyoko carefully laid the thick blanket over his broad shoulders and quickly exited the room. Then dragging her feet upon the floor, she made her way into the bathroom, clearly distraught about what she did.

Kyoko could not believe her carelessness. She was strictly here to make him feel better and here she was, playing a mindless game of "connect the dots" that not only resulted in her napping in his bed, but also vandalizing his skin.

"_I'm such an idiot,"_ she thought with a groan.

But at the same time, when Kyoko thought about what they did, she could clearly remember the way her eyes glowed in amusement the entire time. Even though it was irresponsible to start with, she had to admit that it was fun. Kyoko could recall the effortless giggles she let escape from her lips as they battled for who could draw the best picture. And oddly enough, she felt so comfortable around him that she completely forgot the fact that he was her mentor and she was his student. Those points didn't seem to cross her mind at all.

She stared glumly into the mirror.

"Maybe I'm not strong enough to take care of him after all."

Kyoko groaned again, letting her head fall into her hands in shame. That was definitely a hard pill to swallow, especially for someone who was practically born and raised to take care of others. But when she finally managed to find the integrity to lift her heavy head, Kyoko's eyes suddenly widen in surprise as she stared into the palm of her right hand.

There, hovering in the very center, was a black outline of a beautiful fairy with butterfly-like wings that stretched throughout her entire palm.

Kyoko smiled warmly. And with a tiny, natural laugh, she murmured in a soft whisper,

"You win, Tsuruga-san."


	6. Chapter 6: The Calm Before the Storm

Hi all! Can you believe it's already May? Haha, that means school is almost over! Yay! Which also means, I get to write more! :D LOL. Anyway, here's the next part for my story and I hope you all enjoy it. Also, thanks for all the positive comments for the previous chapter. I appreciate all the support. It means a lot! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>Kyoko tapped her foot incessantly upon the floor in Ren's bedroom. She had both of her hands on her hips, glaring down at the chickenpox-covered patient lying in bed who had watery red eyes, a thermometer in his mouth, and a deep frown upon his lips.<p>

"No," she said firmly.

Ren glared. "I'm not asking you for permission, Mogami-san."

"I don't care. I'm telling you NO."

"I'm not sick. I feel perfectly fine," he retorted as he straightened up into a sitting position.

"Oh really?" Kyoko asked with arched eyebrows. She then removed the thermometer from his mouth and glanced at the number. Kyoko's eyes narrowed. "Does a fever of 38.8 degrees Celsius sound like not being sick to you?"

He hoarsely coughed into his arm before replying with a grimace, "Well, it all depends on how a person feels. If I feel fine, then I am fine."

Kyoko scoffed, but deciding to humor her stubborn patient, she suddenly broke out into a smile and asked in an innocent voice, "Then why don't you try standing?"

"What?"

"Stand," Kyoko repeated brightly. "And show me that you truly feel _fine._"

Ren stared up at her with determined eyes. He could hear the skepticism in her voice and see her obvious certainty that she will prevail in this fight. Kyoko was practically beaming with it. However, Ren was much stronger-willed than that and he wasn't going to let a little fever take him down.

So removing the thick covers from his body, Ren fluidly swung his legs over the side of the bed and got to his feet. He scoffed. "Who's sick now?"

Kyoko smirked.

Then, without any warning whatsoever, Ren's vision started to blur and his feet unsteadily stumbled over one another, causing Kyoko to run up to him and allow his weight to lean against her. Ren groaned in dizziness with a hand covering his tired eyes. That was one gigantic head rush.

"See? I told you that you are in no shape to go to work."

He warily shook his head and mumbled, "I felt fine last night during dinner. How could everything change so quickly?"

Kyoko sighed softly. "The symptoms of chickenpox build up over time. They don't hit you immediately and since it was your first day yesterday, it didn't seem too bad. But now, you can clearly see that the chickenpox is not to be taken lightly," she explained as she lowered him back onto the bed.

Ren pulled the covers over his body once more and after another coughing fit, he managed to say, "The commercial is next week, Mogami-san, and I haven't memorized all of my lines yet. I can't just sit here and do nothing."

"You're not doing nothing," she corrected as she placed a cooling pack on his forehead. "You're resting like you should."

Ren shook his head. "Something productive, I mean."

Kyoko exhaled heavily, trying to come up with a way for him to drop this conversation. Last night, he so readily accepted all of her requests—like staying in bed and eating more soup—that she thought that maybe he would continue following all her directions until this thing was over. But Kyoko should have figured that when it came to work, Ren was not going to be so easily persuaded.

"Tsuruga-san," she said in a gentler voice, "I have to get you better and letting you walk down to LME to get your script is not going to help you get over this at all."

Ren groaned in frustration. "I know," he muttered.

Kyoko smiled sympathetically.

"So…I'll go get it for you."

He raised his gaze. "You'll what?"

"Well, I have to run a few errands anyway and since I'll already be outside, I might as well bring back something that you _actually_ want."

Ren chuckled lightly and shook his head.

"Mogami-san, that's not necessary. You don't have to do that."

"Well, I won't be doing it without a catch," Kyoko replied with crossed arms.

He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What kind of catch?"

"Two conditions: you are to stay in this bed the entire time I'm gone and you will not scratch."

"I can guarantee the first condition, but I'm slightly iffy about the second," Ren answered with a small smile.

Unfortunately for Ren, the insufferable chickenpox had spread like wildfire since in just a mere 24 hours. They now covered his entire body and were itchy beyond comprehension. In fact, in just one night, he had used up all the calamine lotion and was definitely in need of a refill.

Kyoko smiled widely. "I had a feeling you would say that so I got just the thing."

Then reaching into the pant pocket of her LoveMe pajama pant, she pulled out two folded oven mitts and from the other pocket she retrieved a roll of duct tape. Kyoko smirked at Ren's shocked expression as she sat herself upon his bed and placed the mitts over both of his hands.

"Um," he began uncertainly, "is this really necessary?"

Kyoko nodded as she ripped a long piece of tape with her teeth. "Since you can't guarantee that you won't scratch, I'll guarantee it for you."

After strapping one mitt around his wrist, she quickly went to the other arm and did the same, all the while smiling to her very core. Kyoko knew she was definitely pushing it. Although the idea was solely to ensure he wouldn't scratch, she had to admit that seeing her mentor with duct-taped mitts around his hands was quite entertaining.

"There," she said triumphantly. "That should do it."

Ren looked down at the oven mitts and shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know even know how to respond to this."

"You don't have to say anything," Kyoko replied with a stifled laugh as she placed the duct tape roll onto his bedside table. "Except of course, telling me exactly where is your script?"

He smiled gratefully. "It's in my dressing room on the third floor. It should be right on the coffee table."

She nodded and with her fist raised in the air, Kyoko exclaimed, "Third floor, coffee table. Got it!"

Ren chuckled. "Are you sure about this, Mogami-san?"

Kyoko waved her hand at him and replied, "Don't worry. I will be back in about an hour or so. Now, remember our deal. Don't move and don't scratch."

"Right, right," he said with a slight roll of his eyes.

Then with one last smile, Kyoko walked out the bedroom door, all the while making a mental to grab his car keys later just in case he got any funny ideas.

* * *

><p>"Third floor…third floor," she repeated to herself as she patiently waited inside the ascending LME elevator, holding in one arm a paper bag that contained two more bottles of calamine lotion, fever medicine, and some basic ingredients for lunch. Once the metal doors slid open, Kyoko made a swift left down the hall and continued on her way until she approached a white door that had a large golden star. Quite certain that this was his room, Kyoko reached into her jean pocket with her free hand and grabbed the key that he gave her before she left.<p>

With one quick turn of the lock, she was able to twist the doorknob and swing the door open. Kyoko's jaw dropped to the floor. The place was huge! There were mirrors lined on the entire back wall, a stage-like stand, a hanging flat-screen television, a set of three black couches, and a mahogany coffee table centered in the middle of the room. It looked more like a mini version of someone's living room than an actual closet!

Then spotting the script upon the table like he said, Kyoko walked into the room and picked up the packet of paper. She smiled victoriously as she placed the script inside the paper bag and with one last, awed glance at his gigantic dressing room, Kyoko silently walked out. Relocking the door, she turned the doorknob and pulled out the key. But just when she turned around to walk back down the corridor, Kyoko suddenly gasped in surprise at the person standing behind her with wide eyes.

"Momose-san!"

Momose Itsumi smiled uncertainly in greeting as she said, "Hello, Kyoko-chan. What are you up to?"

And clearly understanding the misleading situation before her, Kyoko shook her head vigorously and exclaimed, "Oh! I'm not breaking into Tsuruga-san's room or anything, Momose-san! I'm just taking something!"

She raised an eyebrow.

"NOT LIKE STEALING!" Kyoko said in earnest. "I'm picking up his script for him! Tsuruga-san is at home, so I stopped by to get some work for him."

Itsumi nodded and replied with an understanding smile, "Oh! I get it! Well, that's awfully nice of you, Kyoko-chan. But isn't that kind of going out of your way?"

Kyoko laughed nervously and mumbled, "No, not really."

She realized that nobody (except for Yashiro and President Lory) was aware that she was Ren's temporary nurse. Of course, it wasn't like she was going to gallivant around telling everyone of the situation. In fact, Kyoko would much rather prefer to keep that fact under wraps, especially the fact that she was staying at his place. It would cause unnecessary rumors and stir up more trouble than needed. However, lying to Itsumi about the _whole_ situation didn't feel right. Kyoko figured she just had to keep the crucial details secret.

Itsumi raised an eyebrow at Kyoko's odd reaction and asked confusedly, "You don't have work today?"

"I do, just not at LME," Kyoko murmured as she began to fidget. "I'm—um, taking care of someone."

"Who?"

Kyoko smiled sheepishly. "Tsuruga-san."

Itsumi's mouth dropped open.

"The Tsuruga-san?" she asked with wide eyes. "As in Tsuruga Ren?"

Kyoko averted her gaze, yet all the while moving her head up and down in response.

"Wow," Itsumi murmured in blatant astonishment. "Why? Is there something wrong with him?"

Kyoko frantically waved her hand back and forth as she replied, "Oh, it's nothing serious, Momose-san! He just has the chickenpox so Yashiro-san asked me to take care of him for the week."

"Yashiro-san asked you to do that?"

Kyoko nodded. "Since I had the chickenpox before and he didn't have it yet, Yashiro-san figured I could do it."

Itsumi nodded, but all the more confused as to why out of all people, Yashiro asked Kyoko. She didn't seem like the most probable candidate, considering how she was a single girl as well as Ren's junior co-star. It would almost seem kind of inappropriate. But deciding to dismiss that, Itsumi just smiled and said, "I see. So you're running errands for him?"

"Yeah," Kyoko answered as she motioned to the groceries. "It was only a quick run to the market and the pharmacy."

"You're cooking food for him too?" Itsumi asked with surprise. "Wow, Kyoko-chan. That's so nice of you."

She blushed profusely.

"No, no! It's really nothing, Momose-san!" she answered in haste. "Besides, it's the least I could do since he's letting me stay over."

Kyoko froze.

"_DAMN IT!"_

Itsumi blinked a few times in shock before stammering, "Y-y-y-y-you're s-s-s-staying at his place?"

Kyoko quickly scanned up and down the corridor to see if anyone had heard her careless comment. She couldn't believe she let it slip! It was like she was asking to be found out!

Thankfully though, all she saw was a blond-haired woman with a camera around her neck standing at least 20 feet away. She wore a deep cut blouse and a tight black skirt that hugged her slender legs, and she appeared to be so deeply immersed in the bulletin board on the opposite wall that she didn't seem to have noticed Kyoko or what she said at all.

So reassured that no one heard, Kyoko leaned in closer to Itsumi and whispered hastily, "Yes, but no one really is supposed to know, Momose-san. So I would really appreciate it if you would keep this a secret!"

Still surprised, but nonetheless considerate, Itsumi nodded. "Of course, Mogami-san. I won't tell anyone. But you're really sleeping over at his place?"

Kyoko nodded tentatively. "In his condition, it would be best if someone was watching over him at all times."

"Wow, Tsuruga-san is really like a little kid, isn't he?"

She rolled her eyes. "You have no idea."

Itsumi laughed.

"But if there's anything I can do to help, I want to at least try," Kyoko explained.

"Well, you definitely sound like you know what you're doing," Itsumi pointed out. "That's really good, Kyoko-chan."

Kyoko turned beet red, not used to all this praise coming at once.

"So what's it like staying at his place?" Itsumi asked with curiosity.

Kyoko laughed. "Well, it's quite comfortable actually. Tsuruga-san is very neat so it makes taking care of him that much easier."

"Figures; it is Tsuruga-san. He always tends to make things easy."

Kyoko smiled in agreement. Then casually catching a glance at the clock behind Itsumi, Kyoko's eyes slightly widen in surprise as she saw the time. She was already gone for an hour! So with an apologetic smile, Kyoko turned back to Itsumi and said, "I'm really sorry, Momose-san, but I have to get going. I don't want to leave him alone for too long."

Itsumi laughed. "You sounded like his girlfriend for a second there."

Kyoko froze.

She giggled at her friend's tense stance. "Don't worry about it, Kyoko-chan. I'm just teasing."

Then with a nervous laugh in return, Kyoko awkwardly waved a hand in good-bye to Itsumi and was about to run down the corridor in haste (and humiliation) when she accidentally ran smack dab into the woman from earlier.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" Kyoko exclaimed, automatically bowing her head low in apology.

"It's fine! It's fine!" the attractive, young woman answered with a friendly smile as she instinctively cradled her large camera in her hands, checking to see if it was still in one piece.

"Is it okay?" Kyoko asked fearfully, staring down at the expensive-looking device. "Because I will gladly pay for any damages!"

"No, no" the woman replied, "I think it's all good. These tabloid cameras were made to last so you don't have to worry—?"

Kyoko smiled at the woman's obvious pause and answered with, "Mogami Kyoko, ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Wait, I recognize that name," the photographer said slowly in thought. "Aren't you the girl who plays Mio in Dark Moon with Tsuruga Ren?"

Kyoko smiled widely, clearly pleased for the recognition. "Yes! Thank you so much for noticing."

"And," the woman continued as she looked at the young girl behind Kyoko, "you're the actress who plays Mizuki, correct?"

Itsmui smiled politely as she walked a little forward and nodded. "Hello, I'm Momose Itsumi. It's nice to meet you."

"Oh girls, please! It's a pleasure to meet you two!" the woman exclaimed enthusiastically. "I rarely ever get to run into celebrities, so it's quite exciting whenever I get the chance."

"Thank you," Itsumi replied with a kind smile. "But I don't think we ever caught your name."

"Oh!" she exclaimed in surprise. "How silly of me! I'm so sorry! My name is Janette."

"Are you a photographer, Janette-san?" Kyoko asked with curious eyes as she looked down at the camera again.

"Yes, for ten years now. And Kyoko, simply 'Janette' is fine. No need to add that title at the end," she answered with a laugh. "So, are you both here to shoot an episode for the drama?"

"Actually," Kyoko began with a sheepish smile, "I was just about to take off. I need to finish a couple of errands."

"And I have an audition to get to," Itsumi added.

"Oh, then I sincerely apologize! I didn't mean to keep you girls waiting! Well, why don't you two go on? And maybe we will meet up again?"

Kyoko and Itsumi nodded politely in agreement, bowing their head low in thanks. Then with one last farewell smile at the photographer, the girls gradually made their way down the hall towards the elevator together, leaving the young woman standing alone in middle of the corridor…looking as if she just hit the jackpot of the century.

* * *

><p>He was leaning against the silver van with a lit cigarette clenched between his yellow teeth. The man glared at the metal door at the back of the LME building, clearly aggravated. He appeared to have been waiting for a very long time. He sported a big navy jacket, faded blue jeans, a black cap pressed over his shaved head, and sunglasses that nearly hid most of his face. In fact, he seemed more like someone people would normally avoid in fear of what he might do if they were caught staring at his intimidating exterior.<p>

Then suddenly, in a loud bang, the back door swung open, causing the man to straighten up and throw his cigarette on the cement floor. He angrily stomped out the small flame and watched a young, slender woman saunter towards him with a pleased smile upon her red lips.

Her long hair blew in the gentle breeze like strands of golden silk as she gracefully approached him with her black camera dangling around her neck.

"What the hell took you so long?" the man demanded angrily as he took off his glasses, revealing hard eyes underneath. "I thought you said it was only going to be five minutes."

"Relax, Royce," she said in a drawling voice. "I was investigating."

"Investigating what?"

She smiled alluringly. "What would you say if I told you I just got us a slot on Japan's most famous gossip television station…tonight?"

Royce laughed darkly. "I'd say you were pulling my fucking leg. It's impossible to get on something like that."

"Now, now, Royce," the lady chided as she lightly patted him on the cheek, "don't steal my thunder before I tell you what I got."

He growled. "What'd you get?"

She smiled slyly. "I got us a story that will make us famous, sweetheart."

"Famous? This must be one hell of a gossip, Janette."

"Oh, it is," she replied with a tiny giggle as she lightly jumped onto the hood of the van. "It's actually quite a head-turner.

Crossing her long, slim legs, Janette reached for the similar camera Royce hung over his neck and twirled the thick strap around her slender fingers. He naturally moved towards her and lowered his rugged face until it was just inches away from her slender lips.

"Who's it about?" he asked in a low, gruff voice, placing both of his hands on each side of her body.

She laughed and lazily wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer.

"Mogami Kyoko," she whispered in a silk-like voice.

Royce scoffed and fluidly moved out of her embrace, clearly uninterested.

"Kyoko? Who the fuck is that?"

"She, my dear," Janette replied as she leaned back onto the palm of her hands, "is going to be our biggest story yet."

"And why's that?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

Janette giggled.

"Because, she is none other than Tsuruga Ren's—brand—new—_girlfriend_."


	7. Chapter 7: Bad Publicity

Hi everyone! Hope you guys are having a splendid week! And as a side note, did you guys realize today is Friday the 13th? O_O LOL. Anyway, thanks again for all the great reviews. I'm glad you guys like the turn in events and hope you will continue liking it. Thanks for the support! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>Ren re-adjusted his position on the couch as he held the script in his hand. He had been sitting in the same spot for over an hour now, rereading the same line, but not remembering a single word. All he could think about was what happened that afternoon—the one thing that had him grinning from ear to ear the entire time. It was such a simple event really, yet he couldn't get himself to dismiss it. She made him incredibly happy without any effort at all.<p>

It happened when she first walked through the door after being gone for an hour or so. Ren could distinctly hear when the front door swung open and the sounds of her approaching footsteps as she walked towards the bedroom. Then in an unexpected, cheerful voice, she called down the hall, "I'm home!"

Ren broke out into a smile.

That was it. Just that one comment made his heart thump warmly to the point that he thought his body was on fire. Because in that one split second, the most beautiful image entered his mind. It was the arrival of a future Ren had been dreaming about ever since he realized his feelings for Kyoko. And for a moment, that future actually seemed possible, as if it could truly happen one day. The prospect of him living together with the love of his life was close enough to touch and it was the most amazing feeling he had ever experienced—besides loving her, of course.

And even though he was highly aware that it would remain as nothing more but a dream, Ren couldn't help the smile that seemed to be permanently glued upon his face.

"Tsuruga-san?"

Ren blinked a couple of times in confusion before he finally woke himself up from his daydream and twisted his head around to see Kyoko standing at the kitchen entrance. He smiled.

"Yes, Mogami-san?"

"Any preferences for what you want for dinner?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

Ren shook his head. "Nothing really comes to mind. Why don't you choose?"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," he replied with a nod.

She smiled. "Okay."

But before she walked back into the kitchen, Kyoko did a double take and asked sternly, "Are you scratching?"

Ren raised his oven-mitted hands and replied with a teasing glower, "I don't think it's really possible, Mogami-san."

Kyoko laughed and nodded. "Alright," she answered before she re-entered the kitchen once more.

With one last chuckle, Ren turned his attention back to his script, hoping to be able to memorize at least one line before dinner. After making Kyoko go through the hassle of getting the script for him, he wanted to make sure that her trip to LME wasn't in total vain. But with the slow progress he was making, most likely Ren wasn't going to remember anything.

Then, from what appeared to be from out of the blue, the home phone trilled, pulling Ren's attention away from the paper and towards the blinking device upon the table.

"I got it, Mogami-san!" Ren called automatically over his shoulder as he leaned over the black armrest with an already extended hand. And with some difficulty with the plushy oven mitts, he was finally able to unsteadily grip the white, cordless phone to his ear after the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" a thunderous voice demanded through the receiver.

Ren cringed. "What are you talking about, Yashiro?" he asked, instantly recognizing the chiding voice on the other line.

"HOW DID IT COME TO THIS? DID YOU MAKE A MOVE ON HER OR SOMETHING?"

"What move?" Ren asked incredulously, wincing again from the loud ringing in his ears.

"DON'T ACT DUMB WITH ME!"

Ren sighed heavily. "Yashiro, you are making absolutely no sense. What move are you referring to? And what girl?"

"Who else?" Yashiro retorted with annoyance. "Kyoko-chan, of course! But I didn't think you would make things so public, Ren!"

"Public? Okay, can you please thoroughly explain—?"

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

And with a twist of his head, Ren instinctively turned his eyes to the odd noise beside him and suddenly noticed Kyoko's pink cell phone vibrating upon the table as well.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

"Hold on, Yashiro," Ren murmured as he fluidly got to his feet and reached for the moving phone. But just when he was going to walk into the kitchen to give it to her, Kyoko had already heard the noise and was upon entering the living room.

"Your phone, Mogami-san," Ren said as he handed her the device.

"Thank you," she answered, puzzled but all the more willing to take the phone out of his grasp and glance at the screen. It was Kanae.

Quite confused about the random call, Kyoko fluidly flipped the cell phone open and greeted in a happy voice, "Moko-san?"

"I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU DIDN'T TELL ME FIRST!" Kanae shrieked.

Kyoko jumped in surprise and exclaimed, "W-w-w-w-what are you talking about?"

"AND HOW THE HELL DID IT COME TO THAT? DID YOU GUYS CONFESS TO EACH OTHER OR SOMETHING?"

"Confess?" Kyoko asked with rising nervousness in her voice at Kanae's clearly infuriated tone. "Confess what? And to who?"

"SHOULDN'T I BE THE FIRST TO KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR LOVE LIFE? I THOUGHT I WAS YOUR BEST FRIEND!"

"Love life?" Kyoko repeated in horror. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"Mogami-san?" Ren asked worriedly as he stared into her terror-stricken face. "What's wr—?"

"Ren! Are you listening to me?" Yashiro snapped, instantly drawing Ren's attention back to the phone beside his ear.

And with two separate conversations occurring at once, the tumultuous sounds of growing confusion continued on with:

"REN, I DEMAND TO KNOW EVERYTHING!"

"I would tell you if I knew what you were referring to, Yashiro!" Ren exclaimed.

"YOU CALL ME YOUR BEST FRIEND, BUT YOU LET THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD KNOW BEFORE ME? MO!"

"Moko-san, I'm so confused! What did I not tell—?" Kyoko pleaded.

"ALTHOUGH I'M HAPPY YOU MADE YOUR MOVE, REN, BUT DON'T YOU THINK THIS IS KIND OF ABRUPT?"

"Abrupt? What is abru—?"

"AND I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T LOVE HIM? HAVE YOU BEEN LYING TO ME ALL THIS TIME?"

"I don't love anyone, Moko—!"

"WHEN DID YOU TELL HER?"

"I didn't tell her—!"

"HOW LONG HAVE YOU FELT THIS WAY FOR HIM, KYOKO?"

"Moko-san, I don't feel—!"

And with their patience running very thin, Kyoko and Ren, who were both very fed up with not understanding a single word that was coming out of their friends' mouth, took in a deep breath and shouted in a loud voice, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

"TURN ON THE TELEVISION!" Yashiro and Kanae yelled hotly.

Kyoko and Ren instinctively whipped their heads to each other, somehow knowing that the response that they got on the other line was just the same. And desperate to find out what in the world was going on, Kyoko quickly grabbed the slim remote lying upon the coffee table and pushed the power button, aiming at the screen. It instantly opened up to a news station—or more accurately an entertainment news station.

There were two female hosts, one brunette and one blond, who were talking to each other very animatedly about what sounded like the rise of a new celebrity couple. And it seemed to be the very end of the program.

"Can you believe that it's those two though, Candace?" the brunette asked with a disbelieving shake of her head. "I mean, can you seriously believe it? Wouldn't you think he would have chosen someone more—oh, I don't know—_famous_?"

"Well Kim, I have to admit, it's definitely a shocker, but I guess since they have been working together for a while now, it's possible that something just clicked."

Kim clicked her tongue with a frown. "To have someone like him off the market though…I must say, it's such a shame. I'm sure plenty of girls are just heartbroken tonight."

Laughing, the blond replied with a playful flip of her hair, "Well, what are you going to do?"

"Nothing…besides cry myself to sleep tonight," Kim mumbled with an exaggerated pout.

Candace laughed.

And with the background music starting to rise in volume, Kim smoothly turned to the audience and camera, saying with a bright smile, "Well, it looks like we're all out of time today, folks. I hope you enjoyed our broadcast and remember to tune in later tonight for an exclusive interview with a few assistants from LME and hear about what they've witnessed around the company and their thoughts about the new pairing."

"You definitely don't want to miss it," Candace added with a promiscuous wink. "And as a last few words to the happy couple, I just want to say, on behalf of all of us here at JTUV, congratulations on your new-found love…Ren and Kyoko."

* * *

><p>"President Lory sir, how did this even happen?" Ren asked with his head in his hands as he sat upon the black couch. He was leaning over on his knees, staring at the carpet, but really not seeing anything. In fact, Ren wasn't aware of anything around him besides the voice of the man on the other line.<p>

"Beats me," President Lory replied with a nonchalant shrug as he leaned back against his throne-like chair in his office. "But I must say, it's definitely a nice change."

"What do you mean?" Ren asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"You're never the center of gossip, Ren," he explained with a low chuckle. "So it just goes to show you're not nearly as perfect as they believe you are."

Ren shook his head. "It's one thing to get me on something that's true, but a totally different thing when it's a lie."

President Lory smirked. "Well, your feelings for her aren't exactly a lie, now are they?" he challenged in amusement.

Ren glared.

"And speaking of feelings, where is Mogami-kun anyway?" President Lory asked. "How's she taking it?"

At the sound of her name, Ren raised his head and stared at the young girl sitting before the television set who hadn't moved in the last thirty minutes. Her eyes were glued to the moving screen, but it appeared that she wasn't really there anymore. In fact, it was almost accurate to say she was nothing but an abandoned, empty shell.

"She's…taking it," Ren replied reluctantly.

"I thought so," President Lory said with a laugh. "Well, this is something I want to speak to both of you about, so do you mind putting me on speaker phone?"

Ren blinked a few times in surprise before asking, "To both of us? Are you sure about this?"

"Ren, this involves her as much as it does you," he explained patiently. "Now, I want to hear what she has to say as well."

He sighed, knowing that the President was right. And with a small nod of his head and pushing the button for the speaker phone, Ren turned to her frozen stance and murmured in a soft voice, "Mogami-san?"

She slightly raised her head.

"Mogami-san, President Lory wants to speak to you."

Kyoko turned towards him with fearful eyes. "He does?" she whispered.

"Mogami-kun, can you hear me?" President Lory called through the speaker.

And slowly getting to her shaky feet at the sound of his warbled voice, Kyoko walked towards the couch and stood beside Ren, murmuring in a barely audible whisper, "Yes sir."

"Good. Now, I understand you're distraught, Mogami-kun, but it's truly not as bad as it seems."

"Not as bad?" Kyoko repeated hoarsely, clenching her hands into tight fists. "Not as bad? President Lory sir, everyone in Japan thinks I'm Tsuruga-san's—Tsuruga-san's—Tsuruga-san's—"

She wailed loudly into her hands.

"Mogami-san!" Ren exclaimed in surprise, naturally extending a hand towards her, but instantly letting it drop in fear that touching her might actually make it worse.

President Lory chuckled at the sound. "Yes, they think you are Ren's girlfriend."

Kyoko whimpered.

"Mogami-kun, I hope you realize that rumors like these happen all the time."

"Yes, but not to Tsuruga-san," she said in a quiet voice. "He's never had a bad rumor start up about him before."

"What makes you think this is bad?" Ren asked turning to her distressed face.

Kyoko shook her head sadly. "How is this in any way good?"

But just when Ren was about to open his mouth and retort, President Lory cut in and said, "Actually Mogami-kun, I think that if this was to be a bad rumor at all, it would be so for you."

Kyoko and Ren froze.

"What do you mean?" she murmured, lowering herself down onto her calves at Ren's knees and staring intently at the phone.

"Mogami-kun, I'm sure you realize how famous Ren is, yes?"

She nodded and then realizing her mistake, replied in a clear voice, "Yes, sir."

"And that many women want to be with him, yes?"

"Yes, sir," Kyoko answered.

"Well, what do you think the female population is going to think of you, Mogami-kun? Now that you, someone who in their eyes is not as famous as Ren, was able to snatch up the most desired man in Japan and in result crush their dreams?"

Kyoko's eyes widen.

"They'd hate me…"

President Lory made a responsive sound from the back of this throat.

"Wait, wait," Ren said, shaking his head from side to side. "I think that's a little much. They wouldn't hate you, Mogami-san. That's ridiculous. Why would they—?"

"Because they love you, Tsuruga-san," Kyoko murmured as she raised her eyes to his. "So of course, they'd hate me."

But Kyoko was used to this kind of thing already. Heck, being hated by girls was something she experienced all her life. In the past, she never really had friends and it was all because of—

Kyoko's hands clenched.

"President Lory, sir," she began in an oddly quiet voice. "Now that half of Japan is going to hate me, does that mean my career as an actress is over?"

"Actually Mogami-kun, I think you will actually be more popular than before," President Lory said.

Ren raised an eyebrow at the phone. "How is that possible?"

"Well," he explained in a thoughtful voice, "the public always likes a good story—whether it's a good natured one or a bad. It doesn't really matter. And since there's ever rarely a story about you, Ren, one of this magnitude is going to be treated like a very big deal. And now that Mogami-kun is involved, the media is going to watch her every move, including yours. But of course, they're already watching you, Ren, so it won't be too much of a change for you. Mogami-kun, on the other hand, will be scrutinized more than ever and with so much attention, more of the public is going to be looking out for her—making sure to catch her in everything she appears in and criticize her every move."

Ren sat speechless, yet clearly aware that the President was onto something.

"So, even though I'm hated, I'm actually going to grow in popularity?" Kyoko inquired with a raised eyebrow.

He chuckled amusedly. "Yes. Twisted, isn't it? I guess everyone loves a good 'villain,' so to speak."

"But this can be fixed, right?" Ren asked in a slightly pleading voice. "She doesn't have to go through this. Mogami-san just has to tell everyone that she's not my girlfriend and everything would be cleared."

"Ren, think about it," President Lory began in a stern voice. "What girl in her right mind would deny that she is your girlfriend? The only reason a girl would ever lie about it is because she wants to keep it hidden from the public eye. I don't think you understand how much they want to be with you, Ren. So no, Mogami-kun cannot deny it. No one will listen to her because they would only think she's a liar, so her words mean absolutely nothing now."

"Then what can I do to fix this, sir?" Kyoko asked in a worried voice, instinctively leaning towards the phone in Ren's hand.

"You can't do anything, Mogami-kun. This situation is out of your hands."

Kyoko lowered her head.

"But Ren can."

"What?" he asked in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"No one will believe Mogami-kun that you both are not together, but the public will easily accept your words, Ren," President Lory pointed out. "To them, there is no motive for you to be with a girl. So if you are truly _not_ in a relationship with her and you admit it, then it must be true. Besides, they will be more than willingly to accept it because it means you are attainable once again."

Kyoko turned her eyes to Ren's frozen face.

He swallowed the heavy lump in his throat. "What are you saying?"

"Ren, you're the one who must tell everyone that you're not together."

He didn't reply.

"You have to tell everyone that you don't feel anything for her at all."

Ren couldn't find the voice to speak. He didn't understand why his body felt so stiff. So what if he had to tell everyone that he didn't love her? It wasn't like it was true. Ren truly did love her more than anything and that was all that mattered…right?

But telling the world he didn't was like going straight up to Kyoko and saying "I don't love you" to her face, which in the end will obliterate any sort of chance he would ever have with her. Because at least right now, Kyoko could only assume how Ren felt about her, but if he really went through with this, if he really spoke those words, then she would be absolutely sure of it. She will truly believe that he didn't care for her at all.

Kyoko stared at Ren's frozen posture. She could feel her every heartbeat, thumping painfully against her chest. Looking at his face suddenly felt so agonizing. Kyoko couldn't stand to see him so distraught, especially when it was for her sake.

"Tsuruga-san, you don't have to do anything," Kyoko piped in. "It's okay. I can—"

"I'll do it," he murmured.

Kyoko froze.

"I'll tell them."

"I see," President Lory answered in a soft voice. "Well then, I'll set up a personal interview for you with JTUV next week, once you recover from the chickenpox, of course. Will that be good?"

"That'll be fine," Ren answered quietly.

"Wait," Kyoko began in desperation, "can't I just—?"

"Mogami-kun," the president interrupted in a clear voice. "It would be best if you are out of the public eye for the time being until Ren can clear things over. Alright?"

Kyoko sighed in defeat. "Yes sir."

"So in order to keep things quiet, I would suggest you don't go out."

Ren and Kyoko raised their head, staring in silence at the phone.

"I hope you understand what I mean, Mogami-kun?" President Lory asked after awhile.

"You mean I'm…?"

He chuckled.

"That's right. You are now quarantined with Ren."


	8. Chapter 8: One Step Forward

Greetings everyone! Hope you all had an awesome week! So, I just want to start off thanking you again for all the reviews! I'm so happy that you guys like the new "drama." Haha...unforntunately, for the next two weeks or so, I won't be as consistent with my updates. The quarter is winding down which means FINALS are just around the corner. But I promise to get one up as soon as I possibly can! Thanks again fro all the support! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>"So…it's not true?" Yashiro asked slowly.<p>

Ren sighed into his cell phone. "I can't believe you actually believed it, Yashiro. You out of all people should know better."

Obviously offended, Yashiro retorted in a raised voice, "It was on the news! You can't blame a guy for getting his hopes up."

"Funny, you didn't sound very excited when you called me earlier," Ren pointed out as he placed his hand over his forehead, noticing that it was little warmer than usual. "I would say you almost sounded frustrated."

Yashiro mumbled.

"I'm sorry?"

"Alright," he admitted with a heavy sigh, "I was. But it was only because it seemed too…random. And besides, publicity for any relationship is bad. So I suggest that when you and Kyoko-chan—"

"Yashiro," Ren interrupted in a stern voice as he leaned his head back against the headboard with closed eyes, "before you start running off with your imagination again, may I remind you that there is nothing between me and her?"

"When did you become so negative?"

Ren chuckled darkly. "When was I ever optimistic about this?"

"Not optimistic," Yashiro replied reluctantly, "but hopeful enough to continue loving her. Still, if it's such a hopeless cause, then why not give up on her?"

Ren didn't reply as he straightened up into a sitting position in his bed. He absent-mindedly glanced up at the clock from under his lashes, trying to come up with a response to Yashiro's question. It was definitely a hard one to answer because in reality, Ren had no idea why he was continuing on the way he was. Giving up on a relationship that was inherently going nowhere seemed to be the logical solution, yet here was Ren dreaming about a nonexistent future with her that consisted more of just being co-workers or even friends. Ren wanted so much more.

"I'm taking your silence means you don't want to give up on her?" Yashiro asked.

Ren sighed. "You should have seen the look on her face."

"What do you mean?"

"When she heard the news, I never saw her look so horrified. She was absolutely stunned—and not in the good way," Ren mumbled, failing to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

Yashiro laughed gently. "Kyoko-chan's not like every other girl, Ren. So I don't think she's going to act overly-excited to be with anyone, even if it is with you."

Ren frowned. "I wasn't implying that she _should_ be happy to be in a relationship with me," he corrected defensively. "What I meant was, if she's so revolted by the fact that someone thought she and I were a couple, how could we possibly be _anything_ in the future?"

"Ren, couldn't she have been revolted from the idea of being in a relationship?" Yashiro contested. "This is Kyoko-chan we're talking about."

He shook his head, but not because he was disagreeing with Yashiro. In fact, his friend's explanation was highly plausible considering Kyoko's dark past when it came to love. After having her heart ripped out and then left out on the streets by the only man she ever loved, it was no wonder she hated anything that came to caring for another.

But even if that was so, that idea didn't make Ren feel any better. Whether she was revolted by love or him in general, her current state of mind would make the development of any relationship impossible. And to make matters worse, by the start of next week, Kyoko would come to believe that she was nothing to him after he informs the whole world that he didn't care for her at all.

Ren groaned internally. _"Is the world against us that much?"_ he thought with tired eyes.

And after a few minutes of silence, Yashiro suddenly said, "I think you should give her more credit."

"For what?" he mumbled.

"To learn, to grow, and to change," Yashiro replied in a thoughtful voice. "You keep forgetting that she's not stuck in her ways, Ren. If you haven't noticed, the Kyoko you first met a couple of years ago is nothing like the person you see now, right?"

Ren smiled grimly. Yashiro was definitely right about that. The Kyoko he met so many years ago—when he was barely a teenager—was nothing like the girl he knew today. She smiled often, she didn't have such a tainted view on life, and she wasn't revenge-driven. Kyoko was just happier.

But at the same time, she didn't change much either. Kyoko was still as determined, as thoughtful, and as imaginative as she was in the past. And those points were what made her so appealing to him. She was just a one of a kind girl who had him crazy in love.

"You think her feelings can change?" Ren murmured after a while.

Yashiro chuckled. "Yes, I truly do."

Ren shook his head. "I hope you realize that you're biased," he said, refusing to allow that glimmer of hope to shine any brighter than it already was.

"Well clearly she's not going to feel any different at the pace you're going now," Yashiro retorted as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Ren raised his head with furrowed eyebrows, asking, "What do you mean?"

"Ren, when are you going to just go for it?" Yashiro asked exasperatedly.

He frowned. "Weren't you the one who said a confession appeared to be too random?"

"I didn't say confess," he answered. "What I meant was that you have to stop standing by the sidelines."

Ren didn't reply, ashamed that someone had actually noticed.

"If you tried as hard as you feel about her, she would be yours by now," he continued.

"Yashiro," Ren murmured in a dangerously low voice, "don't say such precarious things when you have no idea how it will turn out. Is it wise to raise my expectations so high when you have nothing to show for it?"

Yashiro scoffed, absolutely unfazed by his friend's tone. "It's because of your low expectations that you won't do anything. It's time to stop being so passive, Ren."

He allowed those words to sink in, to reverberate in his mind until it was all he could hear. It was true that in his chase after Kyoko, he acted as more of a submissive suitor than anything. It was almost like he wasn't trying at all. In fact, there were countless moments in the past where he had to reign back what he truly wanted to do or say in fear of how she would respond. Ren didn't have the strength to take the risk of her turning away or rejecting him. And because of that cowardice, his relationship with Kyoko remained stagnant.

So, if there was anyone to blame for the lack of progress, it would be him.

Ren turned his head towards the bedroom window, murmuring involuntarily, "I don't want to ruin what I have with her."

"I understand," Yashiro replied patiently as if he had predicted that response already. "So, if you're satisfied with how things are, then don't do anything. Just let it be."

Ren slowly turned his gaze down to his open hand upon the blanket, feeling a sharp stab within his chest. Why did it hurt so much to think that in the future, nothing will change between him and Kyoko? Was it really that hard to accept?

He groaned weakly. "I don't know what to do anymore," Ren muttered.

"Sure, you do."

He shook his head, saying in a tired voice, "Yashiro, I'm serious. I have no idea what I'm doing."

Yashiro sighed. "Ren, stop trying to rationalize every little thing. For once, don't over-think it. You know what, don't even think. Just _act_."

He didn't reply.

Yashiro smiled gently at his friend's lack of a response. And with sympathetic eyes, he asked in a lighter tone, "Ren...what do you want?"

And shaken awake from his frozen stance, he said dejectedly, "That's the thing…I don't really know."

Then, as if some part of his conscious was already aware of it, he instinctively turned his attention to the bedroom entrance and there standing patiently by the door was Kyoko who looked as tentative as ever. She smiled awkwardly and in a barely audible murmur, say "Dinner's ready, Tsuruga-san."

Ren didn't answer immediately. He was too busy staring at her with frozen eyes. The way she stood with her hands naturally clasped in front of her body, how she was somewhat leaning into the room, and the shy smile upon her lips made him suddenly burn with warmth. Everything about her was incredibly sweet. And as he gazed into her amber eyes, it suddenly hit him. What he wanted had never been so clear. With her standing right before him, how could he ever want anything else besides that?

And with that burning thought in mind, Ren fluidly nodded and replied in a somewhat husky voice, "I'll be right out, Mogami-san."

She smiled and with one tiny nod of her head, exited the room.

"Kyoko-chan's there?" Yashiro asked with clear surprise at the sound of her name.

"Not anymore," Ren answered as he removed the thick blankets from his over-heated body and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "She was just telling me to come and eat dinner."

"I see," Yashiro replied in an obviously pleased voice. "Then you shouldn't keep her waiting."

"I guess you're right," Ren said with a small laugh.

Yashiro smiled widely, happy to hear the lift in his friend's spirits.

"I'll talk to you later then. Bye, Ren."

"Yashiro?" Ren suddenly interrupted.

"Yes?"

"Before you go, I just want to say one last thing."

Ren smiled tenderly.

"Her heart."

"What?" Yashiro asked in surprise.

"That's what I want," Ren answered in a soft voice.

"All I want…is her heart."

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><p>The living room seemed smaller than usual as Ren and Kyoko sat across from each other at the coffee table. There was nothing but the sounds of the utensils hitting against the ceramic bowls and the quiet slurping noises that filled the undeniably tense room. Whether it was because there was nothing to talk about or they were too busy eating, the two people just couldn't muster up the courage to look at each other.<p>

Ren gripped his spoon tightly in anger and glared down at his now empty-bowl. It was already thirty minutes into dinner and he hadn't even uttered a single sound—not even a thank you for making the soup. He was absolutely despicable.

"_Why am I such a damn coward?"_

Kyoko, on the other hand, was nervously biting on her lower lip. She was frozen with fear, anxiety, tension, and just about every other negative feeling she could come up with in the last thirty minutes of stillness. She desperately wanted to speak, but at the same time she had no idea what to say. Her disarrayed mind was practically rendering her speechless.

But the need to hear his voice was too strong for Kyoko to bear. Even if she said something stupid, it would at least get him to respond. So sucking in a deep breath with her eyes fixed upon the table, Kyoko finally shouted,

"I'M SORRY!"

"I'M SORRY!"

Kyoko's head sprung up in surprise.

Staring into his now blushing face, she managed to swallow the heavy lump in her throat and murmured, "You're sorry?"

Ren smiled sheepishly. "Yes, I am."

"Why are you sorry, Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko asked incredulously.

He sighed. "I know I put you in an awkward position today, Mogami-san," Ren explained in what he hoped was a steady voice. "And for that, I apologize."

Kyoko instinctively clenched her hands together under the table and shook her head. "Tsuruga-san, please take those words back."

Ren blinked in puzzlement as he placed his spoon down. "Mogami-san, I know I—"

She laughed darkly and dropped her head onto her arms, mumbling, "This is in no way your fault. And you apologizing to someone like me is absolutely disgraceful. So please…please don't say you're sorry."

"Mogami-san, this rumor includes both of us. I find it hardly fair for you to shoulder all the blame."

"And what if I told you I'm the one who started it?" Kyoko replied in a small voice.

Ren froze. "What do you mean?"

Kyoko sighed softly as she raised her head. Although she knew that she had to tell him exactly how it happened, Kyoko could feel her heart quiver in fear as she stared into his brown eyes. He wasn't even angry, but she felt as if her whole body was trembling. He was staring at her so intently. Why did he have to look at her with such fervor?

So lowering her hazy eyes just a bit, she confessed in a quiet voice, "I let it slip that I was staying with you while I was in LME today."

"You did?" Ren asked in bewilderment. "How?"

She let out a deep exhale. "I bumped into Momose-san while I was leaving your dressing room and the situation appeared to be really bad so I thought it was necessary to at least explain _something_ to her, but I said a little too much."

Kyoko narrowed her eyes at her foolishness. "It was all my fault. I should have noticed she was listening."

"Who?"

She clenched her teeth together in frustration and murmured, "There was a woman standing nearby in the hall and I stupidly assumed she didn't hear what I said just because she didn't pay me any attention."

Kyoko groaned into her hands.

"I'm such an idiot. She told me she was a tabloid reporter and I couldn't even connect the dots."

Ren remained silent as he watched Kyoko fall deeper into her guilt. Now it all made sense. Ever since the news program aired about him and Kyoko, Ren had been trying to recall every incidence when he showed his sincere feelings to Kyoko in public, believing that that was the source of how this rumor started in the first place. But now hearing what she had to say, Ren had to admit that he was somewhat relieved. After all, it was hard to accept the fact that he didn't have enough skill to hide his inner turmoil from everyone.

But as soon as that thought entered his mind, Ren instantly regretted it and would have done anything to take it back. This was not a matter of who was to blame for the rumor. What was really important was how Kyoko was taking it. And he knew that no matter what he said, she wasn't going to feel any better about the situation. Kyoko was already set on blaming solely herself for this predicament and there was nothing he could do to persuade her otherwise.

However, Ren wasn't going to give in to her that easily. So refusing to let her get so worked up over something that wasn't even horrible in his eyes, Ren slowly raised a hand and placed it under her chin.

Kyoko's heart thumped loudly as she felt his tender hand lift her shocked eyes to his.

He smiled.

"It was just a coincidence that the reporter was there, Mogami-san. How could you have possibly known?"

"Tsuruga-san," she stammered with a disagreeing shake of her head as he slowly lowered his touch, "even if she wasn't there, I shouldn't have said it in the first place. Blurting out that I was staying with you was practically asking to be misunderstood—even by Momose-san."

Ren laughed amusedly. "I guess the situation does sound pretty misleading when you put it like that."

Kyoko's eyes widen in surprise as his deep, sincere laughter rang in her ears. She couldn't believe he was actually enjoying this. If anything, he should be the one who was upset. After all, this was a rumor that could be detrimental to his career. How could he take this so nonchalantly?

And then, her mood began to drop as she instantly understood what he was doing. Ren was trying to comfort her by making it seem like it wasn't a big deal at all. It was probably his way of telling her that this problem was completely out of her control and that she shouldn't blame herself anymore. But even if it was a terrible coincidence, that didn't change the fact that her mess-up was now placed in his hands to fix.

In just one week, Ren was going to appear on nation-wide television and basically clean up her mistake. And that was what bothered Kyoko the most. She was so fed up with having to rely on him for every little thing, especially right now when she was supposed to be the one who was helping him. Kyoko knew that he was too much of a gentleman to ever say she was a nuisance, but she was now so ashamed of herself that she couldn't even muster up the will to even look at him.

She knew that he was forgiving. She knew that he would never blame her for this. And she always knew that no matter what she did, he was never going to condemn her. And it was exactly those amazing qualities of his that made this rumor so ridiculous.

How could anyone ever assume that he would choose someone like her? Kyoko was practically a nobody when compared to who he was. He was Japan's number one actor, a man blessed with an undeniable talent and a patient nature that sometimes seemed too genuine to be true. If there was anyone who could ever be called his girlfriend, that person would have to be just as equally great.

"_And that's not me."_

Kyoko let out a painful laugh. "It must be such an insult to you, Tsuruga-san," she murmured quietly.

"Insult?" he repeated in surprise. "About what?"

"For everyone to think that you would ever willingly choose to be with me."

His heart stopped beating. Her comment completely caught him off guard, knocking his breath right from out of his lungs. The stabbing in his chest returned, except this time he felt like something was actually tearing into him. The pain didn't stem only from the fact that she irrationally looked down upon herself, but also the bluntness of her stating how impossible their relationship would ever be.

Ren knew that she didn't intend to hurt him—that her words were in some illogical way a compliment to his character. But at that moment, all he wanted was to roughly shake her by the shoulders and force her to see him as not a mentor or an actor, but solely as a man. Why must she place him on such a high level that put her so far out of his reach?

"Do you sincerely believe that?" he whispered in a low voice, desperately trying to mask the ache that rippled inside of him.

She laughed softly. "You're too kind of a person to ever say it to me directly, Tsuruga-san. But I'm not too blind not to be able to see it myself."

He gripped his hands tightly together, digging his fingers into his skin. He would have done anything to make her see how wrong she was. Ren would have done anything to erase her self-deprecating thoughts—to help her see just how much he truly loved her.

Yet the sure look in her eyes kept his mouth glued shut. It had become so clear that the wall between him and Kyoko would never be torn down. The barrier was as sturdy as her authoritative respect for him—never wavering even just for a second.

Kyoko raised her gaze at the odd prolonged silence that ensued after her words. His response was nothing like she would have expected. He not only turned away from her, but he actually looked…frustrated. Yet, Kyoko hadn't a clue as to why. How did she anger him this time? Wasn't she only explaining the obvious difference between the two of them? Wasn't he aware of this already?

But figuring that Ren was trying to remain polite by refusing to agree with her, Kyoko smiled gently and said, "Tsuruga-san, you don't have to deny it. It's not necessary for you to pretend that it isn't true."

Ren smiled darkly.

"Are you so sure about my feelings that you're willing to make such a declarative fact about them?"

Kyoko instantly fell silent at the sound of his cold voice.

"Am I really that translucent?"

He slowly turned his intense stare back at her surprised face, seeing the shock flicker in her amber eyes. Ren knew that he was passing the limit—that if he went any farther, he was going to say something incredibly irresponsible. His rational side was telling him to just shut up and smile, to shrug it off and allow her thoughts to remain as inaccurate as she wanted them to be. They were, after all, her only shield from the possibility of ever loving another man again.

But not too far in the back of his mind, Ren could hear the dangerous words that changed everything he believed in:

"_It's time to stop being so passive..."_

Ren gritted his teeth together. Was he really going to let her get away with this? Was he truly going to let Kyoko easily slip away like that, as if his feelings for her were of no importance? Was he sincerely that much of a weakling?

He watched her try to regain her composure. It was obvious that his words didn't make sense to her. If anything, she was going to try to forget it. But Ren was tired of letting her have it her way. He was so tired of her always wriggling out of his grasp and ultimately leaving him with a gaping whole within his already aching heart. Ren had had enough with the compliance.

"What if I told you you're wrong?" he continued in a velvet-like voice as he gazed into her eyes.

Kyoko's breath shook, her hands trembling violently in her lap.

Then, with a flaming desire that nearly crippled him for breath, Ren fearlessly reached a hand toward her scarlet face and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

She froze.

"What if I told you my feelings for you run deeper than you could ever imagine?"


	9. Chapter 9: Blurring the Lines

HI EVERYONE! Thanks for all the patience! And even if you weren't anticipating the next installment of the story story, thanks for clicking on the link! LOL! Anyway, all your feedback was great and I'm very happy that you all are taking such an interest. You guys really do help me to get more creative. So I hope you like the new development and will continue on reading! Thanks again for all the support! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>Kyoko couldn't breathe. Everything in her body failed…her heart, her lungs, her brain…they all just stopped working. She helplessly stared into his smoldering brown eyes feeling as if time had suddenly grinded to a complete halt. Her cheek burned hot from where he touched her skin and her hands shook uncontrollably in her lap. She didn't know what to do. She had no idea what to say.<p>

Ren could clearly see the battle in her eyes rage like a storm. She was incredibly confused and in some sense horrified. Although Ren knew that he had already passed onto the side of no return, her response was exactly what made him second guess his risky decision. It was true that he confessed his feelings out of frustration at her irrationality and that all in all, it was just his way of making her see how incredibly mistaken she was.

But as he stared into her frozen face, Ren knew that she wasn't the only one wrong here. He was at fault too. Taking advantage of her vulnerable position like this was exceedingly cruel of him, especially when she took his words so seriously. Ren had always believed that if he ever confessed his love to Kyoko it would be at a time filled with compassion and warmth, not irritation and confusion. This wasn't how he wanted to do this. This wasn't how he wanted his feelings to be presented…not to her.

So with a slightly hardened heart, Ren chuckled grimly and added, "What if I told you I hate you?"

Kyoko's eyes widen in surprise.

He shook his head. "Or that I feel nothing for you?"

She didn't answer.

"What would you say?" Ren murmured quietly.

Feeling the blood rush to her face, Kyoko dropped her flustered gaze to the coffee table and whispered, "I-I-I don't know."

Ren clenched his hand into a tight fist. This had gone far enough. He needed to make her understand. If he was going to accomplish anything today, he had to make Kyoko understand at least a part of his feelings, if not their whole entirety.

"Mogami-san, please look at me."

Tentatively, Kyoko raised her heavy head with hesitant eyes. His voice had suddenly returned to its normal tone, no longer angry, but somewhat softened.

"I'm sorry that I upset you with what I said," Ren continued as he placed both of his hands upon the coffee table, "but I thought it was the best way to get your attention."

She blinked in response, surprised but all the more listening intently to his words in silence.

Ren sighed deeply. "Mogami-san, what you said right now was not only inaccurate, but also quite frustrating."

Kyoko looked down at her hands in shame. "I'm sorry, Tsuruga-san."

He shook his head with a sad smile. "Do you know what you're sorry for, Mogami-san?" he asked in a gentle voice.

Raising her eyes once more, Kyoko answered in a small voice, "For assuming your feelings?"

Ren nodded.

She exhaled deeply and murmured, "I'm sorry, Tsuruga-san. That was really irresponsible of me."

"Yes, it was," Ren agreed in a firmer tone. "You continued to make all of these judgments without taking in consideration about the people around you. For a second there, it seemed like only your opinions mattered. Do you know me so well that you can make sure assumptions about how I feel?"

"But I didn't mean it like that, Tsuruga-san! I just—!"

He chuckled lightly and said, "I know, Mogami-san. I know what you meant, but at the same time, I'm bothered by how easily you can place yourself beneath me. Do you think we're that far apart in status and talent?"

Kyoko bit on her lower lip, feeling the word "yes" bubble up in her throat.

Ren glared. "You really do, don't you?"

She gulped.

Running a wary hand through his hair, Ren closed his eyes and said, "Mogami-san, I respect you as an actress, not as a subordinate. Never once did I label you as someone who was inferior to me, but rather as an equal. I must say it hurts that you never thought of me as the same."

"Tsuruga-san," Kyoko began in an incredulous tone, "how can you say we're equals? You're my mentor! Of course I can't be at the same status as you!"

Ren shook his head firmly. "I'm a fellow actor who gives you advice, Mogami-san. The only difference between you and me is that I have more experience and that is all. I don't think I ever willingly chose to take up the role to be your teacher, did I?"

Kyoko fell silent.

"Mogami-san, please don't misunderstand. I will always help you when you need it, but do not raise me to such a level that makes me both uncomfortable and disappointed."

"And why would you be disappointed, Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko murmured.

He smiled gently as he met her puzzled gaze.

"Because here I was thinking that you and I were more than just titles."

She blushed scarlet, not knowing how to respond with a heart that was beating straight out of her chest as she dropped her gaze to the table. Kyoko felt like she was on the near verge of a heart attack, his kind words burning in her mind. He didn't see her only as a pupil? She was actually _more_?

Then very timidly, Kyoko stared at his tender face for what seemed to be like an extremely long time. It was almost accurate to say she was locked in his warm gaze. However, even though he had a serene smile upon his lips, there was a certain sadness in his eyes that made her heart quiver painfully, as if she was the one who hurt him.

Lowering her head once more in guilt for causing so much trouble, Kyoko murmured in a shame-filled voice, "I'm sorry, Tsuruga-san."

He chuckled quietly. "You said that twice already, Mogami-san. I'm not so angry for you to repeat it so many times."

"I'm sor—"

Ren raised an eyebrow.

Kyoko smiled sheepishly and murmured, "Never mind."

He laughed. Then with somewhat elevated spirits now that everything was cleared, he smoothly got to his feet and reached for the bowls upon the coffee table, holding them comfortably in his hands.

"Tsuruga-san!" Kyoko called in surprise, quickly getting to her knees, "I'll do the dishes! Just leave those here!"

"Mogami-san, you made dinner. I think it'll be fair if I cleaned up," Ren replied patiently as he began to make his way towards the kitchen.

"But you're sick!" Kyoko exclaimed as she extended a hand toward the bowls, quickly standing and trailing behind him like a distraught child. "I can't let you do that!"

Then in a motion that surprised even himself, Ren smoothly turned around and linked his fingers through her outstretched hand, bringing her arm down to her side. Kyoko froze as she felt the warmth of his hand seep through her skin. His hand was so soft.

Ren smiled kindly. "Just relax for the next 15 minutes, Mogami-san. It won't kill you. And I promise I won't catch anything from the dishwater."

Kyoko laughed shakily, feeling her knees tremble. Their intertwined hands were doing wonders on her already flustered mind. She couldn't think straight anymore. All she could focus on was the feeling of his large hand covering hers…and how nice it really felt.

Then with one gentle smile, he finally released her slender hand and walked back towards the kitchen. But before he took that final step onto the cold marble floor, Kyoko suddenly called out his name.

He turned around.

"Yes, Mogami-san?"

Tentatively raising her anxious eyes, she swallowed the heavy lump in her throat and asked in a small voice, "What you said earlier…about your deeper feelings for me…was that a joke?"

Ren blinked a few times in surprise at her seemingly random question. He couldn't believe she was actually bringing it up. It was almost accurate to say that it completely caught him off guard. But with a quiet chuckle at her shy tone, he turned away from the kitchen and placed the empty bowls upon the table beside the couch. And feeling braver than usual and his skin heat up just at the thought of what he was about to do, he smoothly walked towards her until they stood face to face. Kyoko's eyes widen at his looming stance.

Then very tenderly, he brushed his fingertips across her flushed cheek and murmured,

"Now when did I ever say that?"

* * *

><p>Kyoko constantly turned and tossed in her bed like a fish on dry land as she desperately tried to find any way to go to sleep. She had been awake for what felt like HOURS on end. Her body was tired, her eyes were drooping, but her mind was completely wide awake. All she could think about was that velvety voice echoing in her ears and the gentle touch of his skin against hers.<p>

She couldn't take it anymore! Not only did he confuse her immensely, but his irresponsible statements made her heart beat in a way she wasn't used to at all. Kyoko could distinctly feel her stomach turn and twist into tight knots as the memory of what happened at dinner replayed in her head.

A part of her tried to persuade herself that he didn't mean much by it—that he was just teasing her like he always did. But every time she reached that conclusion, the same words came rushing back:

"_Now when did I ever say that?"_

Kyoko groaned into her pillow as she turned onto her stomach. Peeking at the bedside clock, she realized that it was already two o'clock in the morning and she was nowhere close to getting any rest. He had completely taken over her thought processes, bodily functions, and self-control. Kyoko had never felt so helpless in her life.

But at the same time, as much as it bothered her to be so out of control, there was a tiny part of her that didn't mind it. Even though his words were highly misleading, Kyoko couldn't say that what he said upset her. Sure, it caught her off guard, but the fact that he said they were more than just a student and teacher actually made her…_happy_.

*cough*

Kyoko turned to the open doorway with furrowed eyebrows.

"_He's awake?"_ she thought in quiet surprise.

*cough, cough*

She slowly pushed herself off the bed, listening intently to the sounds coming from across the hall as she leaned onto the palms of her hands. The guest bedroom was quite close to his bedroom so Kyoko could basically hear everything on his end. Although it was highly intrusive, the situation came in handy at times when she had to monitor his health.

*cough, cough*

She frowned. Since when did he have a cough?

*cough, cough*

Kyoko couldn't stomach listening to him. It sounded really painful. Most likely the coughing was keeping him up since there was no way he could rest with his throat acting up so much.

"_I have to do something,"_ she thought worriedly as she climbed out of bed and stood at the doorway, listening to see if he would cough again.

*cough, cough*

And feeling more "nurse-like" than ever, she sneakily tip-toed down the hall and walked into the dimly lit kitchen. Without bothering to turn on any of the lights, Kyoko silently rummaged through the cupboard and found the cough syrup she purchased yesterday morning just in case he came down with a cold. Glad that she thought of it beforehand, Kyoko quickly grabbed a glass full of water and made her way towards his dark bedroom.

Slightly poking her head through the door, she noticed he was still in bed with his eyes closed and had a chickenpox-covered hand over his throat. Kyoko smiled sympathetically. Of course he wouldn't tell her that his throat was bothering him. Ren would probably die first before he complained about anything.

So without any hesitation, she quietly entered his bedroom and walked towards his bed.

"Tsuruga-san?"

Ren's eyes popped open in surprise as he turned his face to the side and found himself staring at a young girl wearing a pair of pink pajamas, standing barefoot beside him. Smoothly rising to a sitting position, he murmured with a sheepish smile, "Did I wake you?"

Kyoko laughed and shook her head. "I was already awake. How's your throat?"

Figuring that it was stupid to lie to her now, he confessed, "A little dry."

She smiled gently. "Well, I got you a little something for that persistent cough of yours."

She held up the syrup bottle and gave it an appealing little shake. "It even has some drowsy effects too that should help you fall asleep."

Ren smiled. It never ceased to amaze him just how far she would go out of her way for someone. It was more than just the fact that she woke up in the middle of the night for a simple cough, but her way of making it seem like she was more than happy to do so made him fall in love with her even more—if that was even possible. Kyoko was truly amazing.

"You think of everything, don't you, Mogami-san?" he asked with amusement and a twinge of warmth hidden underneath.

She smiled brightly. "I try," Kyoko replied as she set the glass of water upon his bedside table with a thud and began to unscrew the cap. And with steady hands, she poured about a tablespoon of syrup into the already-given plastic cup and handed it to him.

Then with one quick swig, Ren easily swallowed the medicine and gulped down the glass of water that Kyoko gave him as soon as he finished.

*cough, cough*

Ren raised an eyebrow as he cleared his throat once more. "Are you sure this is cough medicine?"

Placing her hands on her hips, Kyoko replied defensively, "It's not magic, Tsuruga-san. You have to give it at least 30 minutes."

He chuckled. It was quite surprising to see her act so normally around him after he let slip some of his buried feelings at dinner earlier that day. Although Ren figured that she was most likely just trying to block it all out, he decided that at least she was aware of some of his feelings and that was enough for now. After all, it was more progress than he had ever intended. So why dwell on the negatives when the atmosphere was so light-hearted?

But also realizing that it was very late, Ren assumed he had to let her go back to sleep. It was very rude to keep a girl up (no matter how much he wanted to), so he said in a grateful voice, "You should go back to bed, Mogami-san. I think I'll be fine now."

Kyoko shook her head with crossed arms. "I'm not leaving until you're done coughing."

"I'm not coughing," he replied.

*cough*

She arched an eyebrow.

He sighed. "You said thirty minutes, right?"

"Right, so I'll be staying here until you fall asleep."

"I won't fall asleep very quickly," he answered in a somewhat stubborn voice.

Kyoko scoffed. "Then I guess I'm not leaving very soon."

Ren narrowed his eyes, seeing the challenge flicker in her face. She was definitely testing him. And even though he hated being a burden like this to her, the fact that Kyoko insisted upon staying didn't make him _too_ upset. If anything, it made him even more excited. So happily giving in to her, Ren turned his attention to the television set at the foot of his bed and said, "Well, since we're both going to stay up, how about we keep ourselves preoccupied?"

"With what?" she asked.

He picked up the remote laying beside him upon the bed and flipped the switch, instantly landing on a cooking channel.

Ren turned to her surprised face and smiled. "It'll pass the time."

"I don't know, Tsuruga-san," Kyoko replied doubtfully as she turned her attention to the bright lights of the screen. "You should just close your eyes and try to sleep."

He shook his head. "I can't sleep with you watching me. Besides, I'm not even remotely tired. And if I do get tired, I'll just turn it off."

Kyoko stared at him, clearly trying to decide whether or not this was a good idea. Watching T.V will most likely prevent him from getting any sleep at all.

And suddenly, to her utmost surprise, he suddenly scooted to the other side of the bed, leaving an empty space beside him. Patting the spot with his hand, Ren said, "Sit here."

Kyoko froze.

"W-w-w-w-what?" she stammered in shock.

He chuckled. "You're not going to leave until I fall asleep right? So you might as well join me."

"Tsuruga-san," Kyoko began in a pitchy voice, "I can't do that! It's not proper! Besides—!"

"Mogami-san," Ren interrupted, "I offered, so clearly it's okay."

Of course, that part wasn't necessarily true. Ren was definitely treading on very thin ice here by asking her to sit in his bed WITH him, but she didn't need to know that he had other feelings raging inside him besides just wanting her to sit down.

Kyoko stood speechless. A part of her was absolutely flabbergasted that he would make such a forward offer, but at the same time, there was almost a sense of rationality to it. It wasn't like she had anything improper in mind. Besides, after all the things she had done already, this one was the most innocent of them all. She was just going to sit on his bed and watch a cooking show with him. That wasn't too bad, right?

So with a heart that was pounding loudly against her chest, Kyoko took an unsteady step forward until her knees pressed against the side of the bed. Slowly, she lowered herself upon the mattress until she sat beside him with her legs stretched out before her.

Ren smiled and lifted the thick covers. "It's warmer in here."

Her eyes widen.

He laughed and explained, "I don't want you to be cold, Mogami-san."

Now feeling as if her skin was literally lit on fire, Kyoko nodded once and tucked her legs underneath the thick covers. Of course, it only made her feel even warmer since she was already nervous beyond comprehension. Somehow, Kyoko was extremely hyperaware of his presence. Even though he left quite a sufficient space between them, all she could think about was how her legs were probably very close to his and how his familiar smell swirled all around her.

"Comfortable?" he asked with a friendly smile.

Slightly startled, Kyoko turned to his gentle face and felt her heart throb mercilessly. She had never felt this way around him before. Sure, she had reacted quite strongly whenever he was around her, but this time, it really felt like she was falling apart. Everything about him was so intense. His stare, his smile, just his voice, made her tremble.

"_Was it because of what happened earlier today?"_ Kyoko thought as she forced herself to nod and murmur a barely audible "yes" in response to his question.

So as Ren turned his amused attention back to the screen, her mind was furiously at work. Kyoko couldn't understand why she was feeling so pent up. Nothing really changed. Ren was still Ren, and she was still she. Yet, at the same time, Kyoko could distinctively feel this intense jumpiness around him. It was almost like she had no idea how to react. Since when did he have such a hold over her?

Peeking out of the corner of her eye, she subtly watched him gaze at the television with a thoughtful expression on his face as if he was sincerely concentrating on the show. She smiled. Even during times of leisure, he looked so serious.

"_I guess that's just a habit of his,"_ Kyoko thought warmly.

And although she couldn't see him as an equal like he had asked her to, she had to admit that she did feel somewhat differently around him now. Definitely not more comfortable, but this time, Kyoko didn't see him so much as a mentor, but just as _him._

So while looking at his relaxed face, Kyoko finally noticed something about Ren that never really hit her before. He was actually very attractive…and it wasn't because everyone said so. His eyes were a deep, chocolate brown, his nose was tall and slim, and his skin looked undeniably smooth. Not to mention the fact, he had a million-dollar smile that made every woman swoon within a five foot radius. Ren really was the whole package—a handsome face with an unbelievable talent to match.

Kyoko blushed profusely as she caught herself gawking, swiftly turning her attention down to the covers. Even though it was nice to know that they were now just two actors who worked together, this could get very dangerous, very soon. If he was no longer her mentor, then that meant a lot of walls were torn down. She frowned. Was that really okay?

Suddenly, in an absent-minded manner, Kyoko's eyes curiously trailed to the television screen and she realized that the head-chef was now teaching the audience how to make okayu, a simple rice porridge that was known to help cure colds. She smiled widely. It was perfect. Now she knew exactly what to make for tomorrow.

"Tsuruga-san," she began in a somewhat excited voice as she turned to face him, "what do you think of—?"

Kyoko froze.

He was fast asleep…

And to her surprise, he had unconsciously (even without her realizing it) placed his tired head upon her slender shoulder. His brown hair was untidily draped over his closed eyes and his hands were lazily placed on the blanket. She could even feel his chest rise and fall with each breath as he fell into a deeper slumber.

Then very slowly, without any reason as to why she was doing it in the first place, Kyoko extended a trembling hand towards his face and brushed a few strands of hair away, revealing his peaceful expression. She smiled. It was at times like these when she could finally feel her heartbeat slow to its regular pace, as if she could finally take in that breath she was dying for.

An awakened Ren really was the source of all of her anxiety.

Kyoko shook her head in weariness. "What are you doing to me, Tsuruga-san?" she groaned quietly as she placed a hand over his forehead to feel his now-cooled temperature.

He exhaled deeply in response, naturally eliciting another smile at her lips.

So with butterflies fluttering all through her stomach, she carefully turned off the glowing television and allowed her stiff shoulders to relax as she focused on the comforting weight of his head against her skin, realizing that it was now impossible to leave without waking him. And with one final touch of his silky hair with her fingertips, Kyoko tiredly closed her amber eyes, but not before whispering in a surprisingly tender voice,

"Sweet dreams, Tsuruga-san."


	10. Chapter 10: The Jury and its Judgments

Hi! Thanks everyone for clicking on the link and continuing on with the story! So now that summer has started (HECK YES!) I hope that I will be more consistent with my updates. *fingers crossed* Anyway hank you so much for all the helpful reviews...as always. Hehe, so please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>Kyoko groaned in satisfaction as she sleepily turned onto her side. She was so warm and comfy. It was hard to believe that she wasn't in heaven right at the moment. It had to be a crime to feel so relaxed. And although she would have done absolutely anything to remain in this bed forever, Kyoko could begrudgingly feel her body starting to become more alert by the second. She sighed in disappointment and turned onto her back, draping an arm over her closed eyes. Intuitively feeling that it was around 10 o'clock in the morning, she raised herself to a sitting position and rubbed her tired eyes with her hands.<p>

And as soon as she moved them away, Kyoko saw—

"AHHHHHHH—!"

She slapped a hand over her mouth as her widened amber eyes darted back and forth in shock. This wasn't the guest bedroom. This wasn't her bed. THIS WASN'T RIGHT!

And just when she was about to jump up in haste, last night's events suddenly flooded into her hectic memories, trapping her in place as a blush began to color her pale cheeks.

"_That's right,"_ Kyoko thought slowly, _"I stayed here...with him."_

Then turning her attention down to herself, she realized that the thick blanket was comfortably tucked around her body and the many pillows upon the bed were lined beside her like a wall. It was almost like she was surrounded by a plushy barrier of some sort. Extending a trembling hand towards the empty spot beside her, Kyoko tentatively pushed against the cushion, watching her hand make an imprint in the mattress.

And suddenly, it hit her.

She was all alone…

Kyoko curiously turned to the doorway and realized that the door was wide open. And just when she swung her legs over the side of the massive bed, Kyoko finally heard it: whistling…and it sounded like it was coming from the kitchen. Recognizing the soft voice immediately, Kyoko jumped to her feet and quickly ran down the carpeted hall. She made a swift turn into the cool kitchen and came to an abrupt halt when she was greeted with the most shocking image.

Ren was awake and he was standing before the stove with a black spatula in his hands while listening to the kitchen radio play a quiet song on the counter beside him. But at the sound of her rapid footsteps, he had smoothly turned around and met her astonished gaze with a warm smile.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

Feeling as if her eyes were already burned out of its sockets from the brightness of his smile, Kyoko blinked a couple of times to get her vision to clear before she asked in surprise, "What are you doing, Tsuruga-san?"

"I thought it was a good idea to get a head start on breakfast. How do eggs sound?"

Kyoko shook her head in disbelief as she stumbled into the kitchen. "Tsuruga-san, why didn't you wake me? I should be the one cooking, not you."

He chuckled with a shake of his head. "You did so much already, Mogami-san," Ren explained patiently as he flipped the yellow eggs in the pan. "Besides, it was my fault that you didn't get proper sleep, right? I want to at least try to make it up to you."

Kyoko blushed profusely. How was she supposed to tell him that last night was actually one of the best sleeps she ever had? Although she had no idea when he had awoken or when she had shifted position so that her head was properly resting on a pillow, Kyoko woke up feeling refreshed and very well rested. And the part that surprised her the most was that he was there all night. She couldn't believe that she was actually able to relax in his presence. It almost seemed impossible—not to mention the fact that this was the SECOND time she slept in his bed!

Then feeling more humiliated by the second at what she did, Kyoko unsteadily pulled out a chair and forced herself to sit down to cease the violent trembling in her knees. She had to get a grip. At this rate, Ren was going to notice the change in her and if he forwardly asked her about it, Kyoko had no idea how to respond.

Ren, on the other hand, had turned his attention back to the pan and now had a small smile at the corner of his lips. Similarly to Kyoko, he couldn't believe that he actually shared a bed with her. Sure, it was because the situation conveniently turned out that way, but he couldn't deny the heavy pounding of his heart when he woke up in the middle of the night to her sleeping face.

Ren's hand suddenly stopped in midair.

To see her so vulnerable and innocent last night definitely didn't help his self-restraint at all. The flame of desire that he tried so hard to suppress within himself burned stronger than ever before as he forced himself to lower his hands away from her after he shifted her body so that she was lying flat on her back. Although Ren spent most of his night trying to remain calm, he also came to realize how strongly he felt about this girl. It was more than the fact that he loved her, but he wanted to be around her all the time. It was almost accurate to say he was drawn to her.

But before Ren could give his feelings another thought, the radio commentator's voice suddenly filled the silent kitchen with:

"Alright folks, hope you all enjoyed the premiere of Ai Otsuka's latest single, Planetarium. It will be sold in stores all this afternoon so remember to get your own copy. In fact, if you go now, you could meet the artist herself at one of her autograph signings so don't miss out on your chance to see this rising new star!" the male exclaimed enthusiastically.

"And speaking of rising new stars, Rui-kun, do you know who is the latest craze right now?" a female voice suddenly interjected in a conversational tone.

"Who, Mika-chan?"

The woman laughed. "Mogami Kyoko. You must have heard about her."

Ren and Kyoko whipped their heads to the black device.

"Oh yes," Rui agreed thoughtfully, "the new lady in waiting for Tsuruga Ren. I must say that girl is definitely an over-night miracle. Her name is just about plastered on every tabloid in the country."

"Well would you expect anything less?" Mika asked with a huff. "She is affiliated with Ren, the most famous actor in Japan. It would be a shock if she wasn't known."

"But, Mika-chan, I'm curious. How do you feel about this girl, considering you're such a big fan of Ren? Do you approve of her?"

Kyoko's heart stopped beating.

The woman named Mika clicked her tongue a few times before replying, "Well, I'll admit that I admired her acting skills in Dark Moon as Mio. She definitely has _some_ talent. But as Ren's girlfriend? She isn't anything special."

Rui chuckled. "Is that your jealousy speaking, Mika-chan?"

"It is not!" she said defensively. "Have you seen her? It's obvious she's not the most attractive person. If anything, I would say she's pretty average."

Ren immediately turned his attention to Kyoko and saw that her golden eyes seemed to have frozen over as she focused intently on the radio. She didn't look angry, but Ren could feel the black aura that emitted from her tense stance. Even he had to admit it; she looked terrifying.

"Mogami-san," he piped in, "let's turn this off. It's no use listening to—"

Kyoko got to her feet. "I want to hear the rest, Tsuruga-san," she answered in a quiet voice.

Ren fell silent.

"Average?" Rui asked. "She's in the entertainment industry. She can't be too average, can she?"

Mika scoffed. "There are always exceptions to everything, Rui. I never said she was ugly, but she doesn't stand out. I mean, do you think anyone knew who she was before all this?"

"I guess not," he agreed slowly.

"Now, don't get me wrong. Ren has every right to choose who he wants to be with," Mika continued in the same haughty-like voice, "but what I'm curious about is how these two even got together. It seems so unlikely."

Ren had enough. He didn't want to listen to this anymore. It was practically grating his ears and he was also worried about how Kyoko was taking this. Although she looked completely unfazed, that intent look on her face was starting to worry him. But just when Ren was about to reach a hand towards the dial to turn off the radio, he heard the familiar vibrating noise of his cell phone upon the coffee table in the living room.

"_Damn it."_

"You should go get that, Tsuruga-san," Kyoko murmured without turning to him.

"Mogami-san, I—"

She met his eyes and smiled stiffly. "It's okay. I can handle breakfast from here," Kyoko replied as she took the spatula out of his hands. "You go on ahead."

And unable to come up with a proper refusal, Ren nodded once and walked out the kitchen, hoping that a new song on the radio was going to play soon. He didn't want her to listen to that garbage anymore.

Unfortunately for Ren (who had already walked down the hall towards his bedroom), a song did not play and the negative criticisms continued on with:

"No matter how you look at it," Mika's voice said through the speakers, "Kyoko is just another face in the crowd. She isn't well known, she doesn't look like a model, and she possesses no female sex appeal at all."

Kyoko dropped the spatula into the pan.

"_DON'T YOU THINK I ALREADY KNOW THAT, YOU OLD HAG? I KNOW I'M NOT PRETTY LIKE THE OTHERS! I KNOW THAT I'M JUST A NOVICE IN THIS INDUSTRY! BUT DO YOU HAVE TO REITERATE THAT TO THE ENTIRE COUNTRY? ARE YOU JUST TRYING TO PISS ME OFF? WHY DON'T YOU TRY TELLING ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW?"_

She instinctively gritted her teeth together as she heatedly faced the radio, feeling the anger pulse throughout her body. The rage was rolling off of her like tidal waves. Kyoko was practically trembling with it. But aware that Ren was still in the house, Kyoko forced herself to keep silent as she shrieked within the safety of her own head:

"_NOT EVERYONE COULD BE AS PRETTY AS A MODEL! I KNOW JUST AS WELL AS YOU DO THAT THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I COULD BE TSURUGA-SAN'S GIRLFRIEND, BUT I'M NOT SO LOW AS YOU THINK! YOU JUST WATCH! I'LL STAR IN SO MANY MOVIES AND SHOWS THAT YOU CAN'T ESCAPE ME, MIKA! I'LL MAKE YOU EAT YOUR DAMN WORDS! I'LL BECOME THE BEST GIRLFR—!"_

Kyoko froze.

"Mika, Mika," Rui suddenly chided from the radio, "all that can be easily fixed."

"What?"

"You just described everything that can be changed, Mika-chan. After all, she can always star in more movies, she can definitely grow into her figure, and a little sprucing up may change Kyoko into quite a looker," he explained in a thoughtful voice.

"You think she's pretty?" Mika snorted.

"Well, it doesn't matter what I think, does it?" Rui asked with an amused chuckle. "But it seems we have an eager caller on the line, so let's see what the public has to say, hmm?"

Kyoko groaned. Did she really want to hear from more girls about how unfit she was for Ren? Besides, it wasn't like she didn't know. She was already well-aware of the fact that as a "girlfriend," she wasn't exactly the perfect candidate for a man like Ren. But still, even with that knowledge, Kyoko couldn't say she was mentally prepared for all of this criticism. It was hard enough coming to terms with it herself, but now she had to hear it from the public too? She sighed heavily.

"_I guess it can't be helped…"_

Then with a quiet click of the phone line from the radio, Rui greeted enthusiastically, "Hello! You're on with Rui and Mika. What's your name?"

"Maria Takarada!" a girly voice stated in a proud voice.

Kyoko let out a blood-curling scream and snatched up the device.

"_MARIA-CHAN?"_

"Well, Maria, what do you think about Ren and Kyoko?" Rui asked in a friendly tone.

"I THINK THEY ARE GREAT TOGETHER!" the shrill like voice continued in the same deafening tone. "ONEE-SAMA AND REN-SAMA ARE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER. BESIDES, A STUPID GIRL LIKE YOU WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT'S PRETTY IF IT SMACKED YOU IN THE FACE, MIKA-BAKA!"

"_Excuse me?"_ Mika exclaimed angrily. "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?"

"Onee-sama?" Rui repeated in a curious voice. "Does that mean you are Kyoko's little sister, Maria?"

"I am!"

Mika scoffed. "Her name is_ Mogami _Kyoko, not Takarada. There is no way she's her sister."

"SHE IS SO MY SISTER!" Maria shouted hotly. "She's the best onee-sama I could ever ask for! And Ren-sama feels the same! He likes her a lot and definitely approves of her! You wouldn't know! You don't even know Ren-sama! You're just another jealous-crazed fan!"

Kyoko dropped to her knees as she moaned in dismay, "Oh my god…"

"AND YOU DO?" Mika yelled back hotly. "A GIRL LIKE YOU? HOW WOULD YOU KNOW REN?"

"For your information, I see Ren-sama all the time at LME!"

"LME?" Rui asked back in surprise. "As in the famous acting industry? Wait, Takarada…I knew that name sounded familiar. Maria, are you in any way related to President—?"

But before he could finish his question, he was suddenly interrupted with:

"Grandfather! What are you doing?" Maria called out in a somewhat distant voice.

And clearly over the commotion, a deep male voice could be heard saying in a stern tone, "Maria, who are you—? Give me the—phone! Maria!"

"No! She's insulting—Onee-sama! Stop it, Grandfather! I don't want to—!"

"Uh…Maria?" Rui asked uncertainly. "Are you still there?"

"Hang—up—the—phone!" the male demanded, grunting in what seemed to be a struggle.

"Wait! Wait! Grandfather—no!"

_CLICK!_

Kyoko's entire body trembled as she held the radio up to her face and waited with abated breath. She couldn't believe what just happened. It had to be her imagination. There was no way she called in. This wasn't happening!

"Um," Rui began in an obviously confused voice, "I guess we should go to a commercial break then….uh, yeah! That sounds like a good idea! So, don't touch that dial and we'll be back with more famous hits after this!"

And in an instant, the familiar sound of advertisements filled the cold kitchen, leaving a motionless Kyoko on the floor who felt like she had lost all the feeling in her legs. She had no idea how to react to what just happened. It almost felt surreal.

But before she had any time to recollect herself, Ren had already entered the kitchen and was leaning against the wall with an amused smile upon his face. Kyoko looked up at him with wide eyes as he said with a chuckle, "Maria-chan sure is something, isn't she? That girl is never afraid to speak her mind."

"You heard, Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko whispered.

He nodded. And smoothly walking towards her, Ren leaned down and extended a hand. "Would you like some help?"

Kyoko blushed, but eventually placed her hand in his. And as she was pulled to her feet, she realized she had never felt so embarrassed in her life—even more so than before! Because not only was she publicly ridiculed, but she also had to be defended by an eight year old? Although Kyoko was more than grateful that Maria was so supportive of her, she realized how pathetic she must appear in Ren's eyes. She really was useless.

But before she could open her mouth to apologize for embarrassing him, her eyes suddenly fell upon his neck and she noticed that it was _really_ red and _very_ irritated. Then understanding immediately, Nurse Kyoko resurfaced in a snap with a glare that could kill.

"Were you scratching, Tsuruga-san?" she murmured in a dangerously soft voice.

He blinked in surprise. "What?"

She raised her hand and pointed at his swollen throat. "This was your doing, wasn't it?" Kyoko accused.

"Huh. I didn't even realize I was scratching," Ren replied as he ran his fingers over the itchy bumps.

"TSURUGA-SAN!" Kyoko shrieked as she snatched his hand away. "THAT WASN'T A SIGN FOR YOU TO CONTINUE!"

Then in an irritated huff, she wrapped her hand around his wrist and forcefully pulled him into the living room. Plopping him down upon the black couch, Kyoko sat beside him and reached for the bottle of the lotion that was conveniently sitting upon the coffee table, swiftly unscrewing the cap.

"Tsuruga-san, didn't I tell you not to scratch? If I knew you were going to continue, I would have never taken those oven mitts off of you in the first place."

Ren smiled warily. "The scratching is subconscious, Mogami-san. I guess I'm itchy without even realizing it."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. But deciding to let the matter drop, Kyoko steadily extended two hands toward the top buttons of his shirt and began to un-loop them. Of course, while Nurse Kyoko was in action, she didn't notice how provocative her actions were. In fact, Kyoko didn't even see the look on Ren's face as he watched her bravely undress him. Ren couldn't believe it himself.

His heart thumped loudly in his chest as he felt her slender hands graze his sensitive skin as the top three buttons were loosened. Although Ren was clearly suffering, Kyoko wasn't affected at all. She just squirted some lotion onto her palm and gently smeared the cream onto his collarbone and neck.

Ren unconsciously closed his eyes, trying to hold down the sigh of contentment in his throat. Her hands were doing wonders on both his skin and his heart. If she continued with these movements, he had no idea how he was going to suppress the Emperor of the Night that was already trying to force his way through. And that was a battle Ren was sure he would lose (and possibly even willingly).

But then to Ren's utmost surprise, Kyoko's hand suddenly faltered at his neck, causing him to open his eyes and to look down at her face.

She sighed.

"Tsuruga-san, I'm really sorry."

Horrified, Ren shook his head and replied in earnest, "It's okay, Mogami-san! If it makes you uncomfortable doing this, I can apply the—!"

Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "Tsuruga-san, what are you—? Oh! No! Not this! I'm not talking about the lotion! I was referring to what happened earlier…"

"You mean with Mika and Maria-chan?"

She nodded, slowly moving her hand up and down his neck once again. "You must have been humiliated."

"I'm surprised you're worried about me when you were the one who was attacked," Ren answered, feeling his heart flutter at her touch.

"I'm used to that," Kyoko said with a slight grimace. "Insults don't really bother me anymore."

"Well, I have to say that that's unfortunate," Ren replied in a matter-of-fact voice, "especially when they are completely absurd."

Kyoko stared at him with wide eyes.

And with a gentle smile, Ren murmured, "I personally agree with Maria-chan. You really are great."

"Tsuruga-san, you don't have to—"

He shook his head. "Let me finish, Mogami-san. In my opinion, there's much more to someone's character than just beauty or popularity. And if those are the only factors that Mika will count against you, then her argument is quite pathetic, wouldn't you agree?"

Kyoko blushed.

"Besides," Ren continued in a soft voice, "I don't think you're average at all."

Her hands froze to a standstill as her heart stopped dead in her chest. She slowly raised her astonished gaze to meet his brown eyes which seemed to burn right through her. Kyoko could feel her lungs constrict from the lack of air, but in reality she could have cared less. With such simple words, Ren made her feel so incredibly happy without any effort at all. Suddenly, it didn't even matter that she was despised by the rest of the world. This man's approval was more than enough for her. All she truly longed for was his praise and nothing else.

But with a quick shake of her head, Kyoko dropped her flustered gaze and moved her hand away. "You don't mean that," she whispered.

"Then shall I prove it to you?" Ren murmured as he placed a hand under her chin.

Kyoko froze.

Ren stared into her eyes intently.

"Do you want to know?"

Her legs were shaking, her hands were trembling, and her heart was pounding so fiercely that she thought she was going to die. Kyoko had no idea what to do. She was rendered speechless. This was surely the side of Ren she could never get used to, no matter how hard she tried. It was at moments like these when Kyoko understood just how helpless she was against this man. He was too overpowering.

But seeing the frozen look in her face, Ren decided he had to take a step back from his pursuit and let her be. He figured that that was as far as it was going to go today, even though he desperately wanted to continue. Still, even Ren noticed it; it was starting to get more and more difficult restraining himself. At this rate, he might not be able to hide his desires much longer.

However, with a silent sigh, he smoothly got to his feet and looked down at a seated Kyoko who continued to stare up into his smoldering eyes.

"Thank you for this," he said as he buttoned up his shirt again. "I'm always making you do unnecessary things, aren't I?"

Shaken awake by the sudden change in topic, Kyoko rigorously shook her head in defiance and replied, "No, Tsuruga-san! I'm glad to help! That's what I'm here for!"

He smiled.

"Well, I think I'll get breakfast ready, so you can go freshen up if you would like."

Kyoko nodded, unable to find the voice to argue.

But as soon as she shakily stood up to walk to the bathroom, he suddenly called out her name. Kyoko curiously turned around and saw that he was standing with his back to the kitchen entrance. Ren smiled.

"Mika was right about one thing though."

She blinked in confusion.

"I'm the only one with the right to choose who I want to be with…and no one else," he replied.

Kyoko's eyes widen because right at that moment the oddest feeling erupted inside her heavy heart. She felt _happy_—and not because he praised her or because he complimented her. She was happy because for the first time ever, Kyoko felt like out of everyone in the world…Ren had chosen her.

* * *

><p>"Sho, let's go! We're going to be late!" Shoko said sternly as she grabbed his duffel bag off the bed in the hotel and walked into the living room. "I swear, it's amazing that you get anything done!"<p>

With his legs lazily crossed upon the white couch and his head lying on the armrest, Sho tipped his head back so that he stared at his attractive manager upside down. "Shoko, would you relax? We got time. Besides, you know that no one can start without me, so there's no need to rush. Just let me finish the show."

Shoko sighed. It was incredible how his personality changed from one extreme to another. Whenever he was working in the studio, he would be so wrapped up into his song that he would sometimes go hours without eating or sleeping. Then there were times like these when he acted like a little kid who refused to do anything he didn't like. Shoko shook her head. If there was anything he was consistent in, it was definitely keeping Shoko on her toes.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That's great!" he exclaimed loudly as he sat upright, holding his stomach.

She smiled amusedly. _"Well, I guess a couple of minutes wouldn't hurt._"

So as she sat on the seat besides the couch, Shoko nonchalantly flipped through the folder upon the table to go over all the appointments they had for the rest of the day. Although Sho was still a very young musician, his musical fame was slowly escalating to new-found degrees which meant his time was stretched thinner than ever before. The industry and his fans no longer just wanted his songs and presence—they now demanded it.

And even though it was a lot for such a young star to handle, even Shoko could see the pride in Sho's face. He enjoyed what he was doing and was willing to give it his all, no matter how hard it may seem.

"Alright," Sho suddenly yawned as he stretched his arms above his head and got to his feet, "it's over. Let's go."

Shoko raised her head.

"Already?"

He nodded. "It's just the news now."

Shoko laughed. Sho was never one who would watch such a program. If it didn't make him laugh or glorify his reputation, he felt that there was no use in watching it. However, as Shoko reached for the remote to turn off the television, his large hand suddenly whipped out of nowhere and tightly gripped her wrist.

"Sho! What are you—?"

She stopped.

Sho was frozen from head to toe. It was like his body suddenly lost the ability to move as his eyes gazed intently at the picture before him.

Following his line of vision, Shoko's confused eyes slowly trailed towards the glowing screen. And there, displayed for the whole world to see was the raving headline:

LME'S NEWEST SWEETHEARTS: TSURUGA REN AND MOGAMI KYOKO


	11. Chapter 11: Exposed

Good afternoon everyone! First off, I just want to say I'm glad you guys thought the last chapter was amusing. That was definitely where I wanted to take it. So as a slight digression, this is the first time I'm including Sho into a fanfiction (usually I just focus on Ren and Kyoko. LOL.) so I hope I do this well. Haha, anyway, thanks for reading and please READ AND REVIEW!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>Yashiro dropped his head into his hands as sat upon his couch. He had to refrain. No matter how much they bothered him, no matter how annoyed he felt, he had to find the strength to not give in to their temptation. For the sake of his own pride and skin, he had to win. Yashiro gritted his teeth together and clenched his hands into tight fists.<p>

Listening intently to the ticking sounds of the clock above the mantle, he tried to focus on nothing, but the noise. However, the persistent prickly feeling wouldn't go away. It was almost like it was taunting him. Yashiro angrily turned his attention to the red bumps on his skin, wanting to scratch the living daylights out of them. They had already spread onto his arms, his chest, and even his lower back.

He groaned in frustration as he got to his feet. Stalking into the kitchen, desperate for any remedy he could find, Yashiro opened the refrigerator door and grabbed an ice pack from the freezer. As soon as the icy plastic bag touched his skin, shivers of satisfaction rippled down his spine. Yashiro smiled. This should distract him for a good ten minutes or so.

But just as he was about to lie down in his bedroom, there was suddenly a string of rapid knocks upon his front door. It sounded as if someone was in trouble. Surprised, Yashiro quickly approached the door and peeked through the peep hole.

It appeared to be a male in a blue baseball cap, an over-sized sweater, and a pair of shorts that were too long for him to wear. Yashiro scratched his head with his free hand in confusion. He didn't recognize this person at all. Still, he figured it would be rude not to open the door. So after he unlatched the chain, Yashiro opened the door and smiled politely.

"Hi, how can I help—?"

Yashiro froze.

The visitor smiled timidly and waved to him in greeting.

"Hello, Yashiro-san."

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><p>Kyoko placed the items she purchased in the proper cabinets, making sure to put the lotion in an easily accessible place so that he could find it without difficulty. When she opened the white fridge, Kyoko shook her head warily. Thank goodness she went shopping beforehand. It was almost completely empty! All he had were plastic bottles of water, a bag of carrots, half a dozen eggs, and some take-out.<p>

Yashiro smiled sheepishly as he caught Kyoko staring at his inadequate supply of food.

"I didn't get the chance to go shopping, Kyoko-chan," he said with a guilty shrug of his shoulders.

Kyoko turned around and laughed. "And to think you criticize Tsuruga-san so much for not taking care of himself, Yashiro-san. You're exactly the same!"

"You caught me at a bad time!" he replied defensively. "If I wasn't so itchy, I would be preparing a proper dinner by now."

She laughed.

"And speaking of being itchy," Kyoko began as she walked towards him and scrutinized his now polka-dotted face, "have you been scratching?"

Yashiro shook his head. He proudly held up the ice pack and said, "This has been my cure."

She frowned, clearly not impressed.

"Not good enough, Yashiro-san. You can get a cold if you keep holding that to your skin. Why not try the calamine lotion that I got for you?" Kyoko offered as she rummaged through the bags to grab the last bottle sitting at the bottom.

Yashiro smiled gratefully as she placed the item into his hands. "Thank you, Kyoko-chan. This means a lot."

"Not at all, Yashiro-san! It's the least I can do! Besides, it's because of Tsuruga-san that you got the chickenpox right? So think of this as his way of apologizing to you."

Yashiro chuckled. Even he had to admit that he was pleasantly surprised when he saw Kyoko standing at his front door step. He rarely ever got visitors. But the biggest shock of all was how she was dressed. Clearly, she was wearing clothes that didn't belong to her. And after working with Ren for so many years, Yashiro immediately recognized that it was his clothes she was donning, from the cap all the way down to the khaki shorts.

But it couldn't be helped. In order to stay out of the public eye, Kyoko had to disguise herself in one way or another to go outside without being spotted by the paparazzi. And even though it was highly unnecessary for her to go through all this trouble for him, Yashiro couldn't say that it made him upset. In fact, it just showed him even more how caring Kyoko was.

And although she explained that President Lory was the one who informed Ren of Yashiro's infection over the phone (who eventually disclosed this information to Kyoko), Yashiro couldn't get over the fact of how such a fuss was being made over him. Even he had to admit that he was slightly touched by the tokens of compassion.

"So how's Ren, Kyoko-chan?" Yashiro asked conversationally as he rolled up his sleeve and smeared the soothing cream over the pox. "Is he feeling better?"

"Well, he's still scratching as ever, but it seems his fever has gone down," Kyoko answered as she closed the fridge. "But it's only the third day, so the symptoms can return."

"I feel really bad keeping you here. You're already busy enough with Ren, Kyoko-chan, and you went to such great lengths to—"

Kyoko glared. "Yashiro-san, we went over this. It's not that big of a deal. Besides, you never had the chickenpox either so it makes sense for me to help. And as for Tsuruga-san, I think even he's responsible enough to be by himself for a couple of hours. What's more, he agreed that I should come here too."

Yashiro chuckled. "But isn't it dangerous for you to walk around the city like this? Considering all that happened?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's fine! I don't think anyone would recognize me in this," she said as she gestured to her ensemble. "Even you thought I was a man, Yashiro-san."

He smiled. That was true. He had no idea it was her until she raised her amber eyes to meet his gaze. After all, it was more than just the clothes. It was also the way she walked, the aura she emitted, and even the way she stood made her seem like a man. Kyoko truly was an actress through and through.

But wanting to get to more important matters, Yashiro placed the bottle of lotion back onto the counter and asked in a serious voice, "So how are things with _you_, Kyoko-chan? I hope everything has been okay."

She sighed, understanding immediately what he meant. "It's been…crazy, to say the least."

Yashiro didn't reply. He had an intuitive feeling that she was going to continue. Besides, he was quite interested in how she was reacting to all that had happened.

"Yashiro-san," she began slowly, "what's your opinion about this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Just in general. How do you feel about the rumor? I mean, from what I can tell, Tsuruga-san's female fans sure are not pleased, but what are your thoughts?"

Yashiro smiled and gestured for Kyoko to take a seat at the table in the kitchen. Quickly pouring two glasses of iced tea, he pulled out the chair across from her and placed his hands in his lap. "Well, I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing," Yashiro replied. "Besides, you shouldn't take what those girls say to heart, Kyoko-chan. It's not you that they dislike. I think any girl who is affiliated with Ren would be hated."

Kyoko laughed feebly. "I guess so…"

Yashiro turned his head to the side, staring into her somewhat saddened face. She seemed to have a lot on her mind.

"Kyoko-chan, why are you bothered that people think you are Ren's girlfriend?"

She raised her head in surprise.

"Because it's ridiculous to start with," Kyoko answered mechanically.

Yashiro arched an eyebrow in confusion and asked, "What makes it ridiculous?"

She sighed. "Tsuruga-san would never choose to be with someone like me. I'm just a girl he works with. There is no reason for him and me to ever be in a relationship. Besides, I don't think I meet any of his expectations about what a girlfriend is at all."

"Well," Yashiro began thoughtfully, "what do you think Ren cares about in a woman?"

Kyoko frowned slightly and placed her chin in her hand. She really didn't think about this before. It was probably easier to say who WOULDN'T be his ideal girl. But slowly collecting her thoughts, Kyoko managed to come up with, "I figure he would want a woman who is compassionate, proud, and motivated. Or maybe someone who is goal-driven."

Her smile softened.

"He would definitely need a woman who knew her way around the kitchen since he's about as confused as a three year old when it comes to food. And maybe to balance out his seriousness, Tsuruga-san would enjoy her company more if she can make him relax or just have fun. She should make him laugh and smile effortlessly."

Kyoko giggled and said, "Yes, I think that will be his ideal girlfriend…someone who is just like him when it comes to her dreams, yet the exact opposite in times of leisure."

Yashiro smiled as he leaned back against his chair. "Kyoko-chan…didn't you just describe yourself right now?"

She froze.

"I'M NOTHING LIKE THAT, YASHIRO-SAN!" Kyoko exclaimed incredulously. "That's not me at all!"

"Well, let's back-track here. You said someone who's compassionate, right? And here you are taking care of him when he has the chickenpox."

Kyoko shook her head. "Because you asked me to, Yashiro-san."

"Which makes you even _more_ compassionate, Kyoko-chan," he explained patiently. "You put aside your feelings and did something I wanted you to do without complaint."

She bit on her lower lip, not knowing how to respond.

"And when it comes to being proud or determined, everyone knows that you have the guts of a pro. If there's anyone who could battle Ren for motivation it would be you. I've never met anyone who would go so far for their career, besides him of course."

Kyoko didn't reply.

"Now, your next point was that she needed to know her way around the kitchen. I think that speaks for itself, doesn't it?"

Then raising his hand as if he was counting off each trait, Yashiro continued with, "As for making him laugh and relax, Ren smiles genuinely around you, Kyoko-chan. You might not realize it, but he's himself when he's with you and I think he finds that incredibly comforting."

Yashiro chuckled at her stunned silence.

"So…am I wrong?"

Kyoko didn't know what to say. A part of her wanted to reject everything he said because it just seemed too convenient. Sure, she'll admit that she was some of the things he said, but the fact that she was EVERYTHING was very unlikely.

But at the same time, Kyoko couldn't find an explanation to retaliate. It was true that she was determined when it came to acting, maybe not as much as Ren, but enough. And yes, she did know how to cook and care for others. Then, as for making him laugh, she really does do weird things around him that would always elicit a chuckle and even Kyoko had to admit that he tends to smile a lot around her.

"_Or maybe he's just a really happy person!"_ her subconscious retorted.

So shaking her head from side to side in defiance, Kyoko replied, "Yashiro-san, I'm not Tsuruga-san's ideal girlfriend. That's impossible."

"Then what are you lacking, Kyoko-chan?" Yashiro asked with a grin, seeing how uncomfortable he was making her.

"Well," she said slowly as she began to fidget, "I don't think I'm…attractive enough for a man like him."

Knowing that she was going to bring that absurd point up eventually, Yashiro placed both of his hands upon the table and said, "Beauty wasn't one of the traits you said Ren needed in a girlfriend."

"I would think that that one would be obvious, Yashiro-san."

Yashiro frowned. "Kyoko-chan, do you think Ren will seriously judge someone based on their looks?"

Kyoko's eyes widen.

"Don't you think that would come as an insult to him?"

Immediately, she lowered her head in shame. Yashiro definitely had a point there. Ren caring about physical looks really did seem out of character. He was truly someone who cared about a person's personality more than anything. After all, if he did worry about someone's exterior, wouldn't that make him just another playboy?

Kyoko froze.

"I'M SO SORRY, TSURUGA-SAN!" she yelled to the ceiling.

Yashiro jumped at least ten feet into the air before he exclaimed, "Kyoko-chan! What's wrong?"

She covered her face with her hands and said, "You're absolutely right, Yashiro-san! Tsuruga-san isn't like that! He's not like other men! He's better than that! He wouldn't care about looks or beauty! That's not him at all!"

Yashiro laughed in amusement. "I agree completely."

Then taking in a deep breath, Kyoko placed her head upon her arms and looked at Yashiro from under her lashes. "But Yashiro-san, I still don't think I'm Ren's ideal girlfriend. I can't accept that."

"Well then, let me ask you, Kyoko-chan. Disregarding Ren's feelings completely, when you heard that people thought you were Ren's girlfriend, did you ever feel that it was ridiculous on your end?"

She furrowed her eyebrows, clearly puzzled.

"What I mean is did you ever once think 'Why would I ever choose him'?" Yashiro continued.

Kyoko gasped and shook her head fervently. "That's horrible, Yashiro-san! I would never think of Tsuruga-san that way!"

"So could you choose a man like Ren?" Yashiro pressed, feeling his stomach twist into knots from pure excitement.

Kyoko froze.

"Me? Choose…Tsuruga-san?"

Yashiro nodded. "Would you?"

Kyoko felt as if time suddenly grinded to a halt. Her vision blurred and her hands were unconsciously clenched into fists. She didn't know what to say. It was true that she didn't give her feelings much thought when it came to the rumor. She was too busy worrying about how she was being a bother to him, so she never once considered how she felt. But…

Kyoko frowned.

Choosing him? That option sounded so unnatural because when it came to love, Kyoko was resolute in her decision to never fall into that dreaded trap again. It wasn't the fact that Ren wasn't good enough or anything like that. Even Kyoko was aware how perfect he would be as a partner. But for someone like her, who was broken and cold, how could she ever think that she'll fall in love again?

Kyoko raised her sad eyes and murmured softly, "It's not a matter if I would, Yashiro-san…but I can't."

Yashiro was completely caught off guard. The look on her face was so pained that he could feel his own heart constrict.

"You can't?" he whispered with wide eyes.

She shook her head.

"My heart won't let me."

Kyoko laughed weakly and sighed.

"I don't think I can love anyone ever again."

* * *

><p>Sho stared out of the window of the van, irritably watching people walk on the street and enter nearby stores. Shoko had gone into one of the markets to buy a quick snack before they moved on to their next appointment. But before leaving, she distinctly told him to wait in the car and to not move an inch.<p>

He clenched his teeth together. Sho would have given anything to make this day end. He felt completely out of it. His mind was cluttered with whizzing thoughts that refused to allow him any form of peace. All he could think about was her and that guy together.

Sho slammed his hand against the leather seat, eliciting a small jump from his driver, but he didn't bother to apologize. He was fuming. Sho couldn't believe that they ended up together. And right at that moment, he felt the wave of defeat threatening to crush him into pieces as he realized that if Kyoko was able to start up a relationship with that man, then that meant she was long over him. Sho was no longer a part of her life.

He glared out the window. Thinking about this was doing nothing for him besides making him even more furious. So deciding to free his mind of such frustrating thoughts, he tried to focus on each person that passed by the van.

First, there was a group of young school girls who clung onto each other as they laughed merrily down the street. Then, there came a couple that happily walked arm in arm while holding an ice cream come with their free hand. Following the couple, was a little girl playing hopscotch with a pebble, jumping up and down on the pavement.

He scoffed. This was useless.

And just when Sho was about to turn his attention away from complete and utter boredom, something peculiar suddenly caught the corner of his eye. Staring with curiosity, he watched what appeared to be a young man walking towards the car, sporting very odd clothes. Everything seemed over-sized on his body, from his cap all the way to his shorts. His shoulders were slumped and his eyes were on the floor. He looked depressed.

Then, before the man could avoid it, the young girl who was jumping around earlier accidently bumped into his shoulder, nearly knocking the person off his feet. But instead of losing balance, the man steadied himself with some fancy footwork that unfortunately knocked the baseball cap off his head.

Sho froze.

_Orange hair…_

Immediately, the person pulled the cap back into place, speedily walking down the street.

There was not doubt about it. Sho could never forget that flaming hair even if he tried. He couldn't believe it. She was actually right in front of him. It was too good to be true.

But keeping his eyes on her retreating back, Sho watched her hastily enter a yellow cab parked alongside the road and close the door with a thud. Then quickly jumping to action, Sho pushed the car door open and desperately searched for another free cab. He could hear a couple of girls scream his name in surprise as they recognized exactly who he was, but he was too busy to care. He had to catch up to her.

After ignoring the desperate pleas of his driver to return to the car, Sho stopped a passing cab with a flail of his hand and got in.

"Follow that cab up ahead," Sho ordered.

"Wait, I have to pick up—!"

He threw a couple of bills onto the passenger seat. "That enough for you?"

The cab driver widened his eyes in surprise at the amount of cash, but nodded all the same. "Yes sir," he murmured as he scooped up the bills. "Right away."

Sho sat back and felt the car continue down the street. His eyes never left the yellow car that she got in. He stared at it as if his life depended on it. Sho had no idea what he was thinking, but the urge to follow her was too strong to ignore. He didn't even know what he was going to say if he managed to catch up to her.

All he knew was that he just had to see her.

Finally, the two cabs maneuvered their way out of the traffic onto a less busy street. Sho took a look around and realized that they were now entering a very prestigious part of the city. His eyes widen as he passed mansion-like buildings that towered like skyscrapers.

"_What business does she have here?"_

"Sir," the cab driver called.

"What?"

"The car is entering a residential area. Shall I continue?"

Sho nodded. "Until the other car stops."

"Yes sir," he replied as he continued to follow the cab, leaving a good distance between them as to not make the pursuit obvious.

And finally, after another five minutes, the car ahead pulled up to an expensive-looking apartment complex. Sho watched with wide eyes as she slowly got out of the car and politely bowed to her driver. Noticing that she was actually entering the building, Sho swiftly opened the door and stepped out.

"You can go," he mumbled to the driver, never letting his eyes leave her back.

Once his cab drove away and Kyoko was a good distance ahead of him, Sho silently followed her steps. Thankfully, when he entered the wealthy building, there was no one at the front desk and she decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Sho hadn't a clue as to why she was here. Did she actually live in this place? Although it was thanks to Kyoko that he lived in a high-class condo before, Sho doubted that she continued to have multiple jobs to continue the same life of luxury. If she had enough money to live in a place like this, then she wouldn't dress in such average looking clothes.

But strangely enough, she wasn't wearing her usual clothes this time. In fact, her appearance right at the moment was undeniably strange—even for her. She was obviously wearing men's clothing, but the pieces of clothing weren't shabby at all. Even Sho could tell that they were of high class. This made absolutely no sense at all.

Feeling confused as ever, Sho sneakily followed her to the highest floor. Then watching her turn down the dimly lit and carpeted hall, he saw her approach the only door at the every end. He hid behind a wall and twisted his head around the corner. This had to be the master suite or condo of the entire complex. It seemed to cover the entire floor of the building!

He narrowed his eyes as he watched her grab a set of silver keys from her shorts. Then with a swift turn of the key, she opened the door and said something to the room that Sho couldn't catch. Finally, the door quietly closed shut.

Sho removed himself from the wall and stood in the empty hallway. He shoved his hands into his pant pockets and walked forward. He had no idea why he felt so nervous. Even though it had been awhile since he had last seen her, Sho shouldn't have any reason to feel so anxious. After all, it was just her—nobody special.

But the burning curiosity in his throat was practically strangling him for breath. He had to know what was going on. Sho gritted his teeth together. He was going to demand for information if it was the last thing he would do.

Sho angrily approached the white door, feeling more adamant than ever before, and knocked loudly against the wood. He sucked in a breath, ready to release the pent emotion that was pulsing through his veins. He was like an active volcano ready to burst at any little disturbance.

And hearing the lock unlatch from the inside, Sho's eyes instinctively began to narrow into a murderous glare.

"So," he sneered loudly as the door began to open, "did you think that disguise was going to fool—?"

Sho froze.

There, standing right in front of him was not the familiar amber gaze of his old childhood friend. In fact, it wasn't even a woman. He was the last person Sho had ever expected to see in his life.

"_Ren…" _


	12. Chapter 12: In the Midst of Crossfire

Hi all! Thank you for all the funny reviews. Your reactions to the Ren and Sho conflict is great! However, I do hope I wrote this well. It's a first time for me where I actually write about how they meet head on. Haha, so I hope you don't think it's OOC! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>Ren couldn't believe his eyes. He could feel the tension in his shoulders spread throughout his body as he stared into Sho's shocked expression. The surprise nearly crippled him for words. Out of all people to meet, Ren would have never expected to see him. Just hearing his voice was enough for Ren to feel incredibly agitated. Although he was never one to harbor ill feelings towards another, Fuwa Sho was one glaring exception.<p>

And just when Ren was about to open his mouth to speak, Sho had unfortunately beaten him to it and demanded in an angry voice, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Ren laughed dryly.

"I was about to ask you the same thing. What business do you have at my apartment?"

"_Your_ apartment?" he asked incredulously. "You live here?"

"That's a peculiar response coming from someone who just pounded at my front door. Who did you expect to see?" Ren replied in a dangerously cool voice. It was practically like ice.

Completely taken-aback, Sho moved his head side to side and mumbled, "You…and her? Here?"

Ren's hands twitched. "How did you know she—?"

"Tsuruga-san!"

On instinct, Ren swiftly turned his attention behind him and saw her standing in the hall in the same outfit she had walked in after visiting Yashiro. Kyoko smiled brightly.

"Where do you want—?"

She stopped.

In that one split second, Ren felt like he was watching a movie right before his eyes.

Her smile had faded and it was obvious she was shocked beyond comprehension. The alarm was explicit in her golden eyes as she opened her mouth again and again in hopes to utter any kind of response, but in the end came up with nothing. However, as soon as she came to realize who it was that was standing at the front door, the contours of her face changed dramatically—from one of blatant surprise to writhing anger. The obvious stiffness in her body and the trembling of her arms intensified by the second as Kyoko snarled,

"You bastard…why are you here?"

Sho narrowed his eyes.

"I spotted you on the street wearing _that_," he answered in a mocking tone as he pointed at her clothes, "and it was so abnormal that I had to see what the hell you were thinking."

"What are you—musician turned stalker?"

"Stalker?" Sho muttered.

Then in a child-like outburst, he shouted, "It's not my damn fault you call that a fucking disguise! Nobody in their right mind would believe that!"

Fiercely walking forward, Kyoko approached the front door until she stood right beside Ren and yelled, "YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO FOLLOW ME ALL THE WAY HERE! I should have you arrested for being a creeper!"

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU CALLING A CREEPER? AND IF WE'RE GOING TO PLAY THE NAME-CALLING GAME, SHOULD I CALL YOU A DAMN CROSS DRESSER THEN? I had no idea you were into this kind of stuff at all!"

"I WAS PRETENDING TO BE A MAN TO PROTECT MY IDENTITY!" Kyoko shrieked.

"Identity?" Sho repeated. "Why are you—?"

Then it finally hit him. Sho allowed his eyes to stray away from her rage-filled eyes and took a good look at his surroundings. Glancing at the man beside her, Sho noticed that Ren was standing in a full set of pajamas, an outfit unfitting for a man like him to wear when in the presence of a guest. In fact, he looked like he had just rolled out of bed. And then with one quick inhale, Sho instantly recognized the smell of a home-cooked meal wafting from the kitchen.

Turning his attention to the living room, he noticed how Kyoko's bag was sitting upon the couch, her cell phone was on the coffee table, and her shoes were neatly lined beside the door. And when he finally looked down at her, Sho's eyes widen. Kyoko wasn't only wearing male clothing—she was wearing _his clothing_.

Sho turned his face away. It all connected now. Kyoko wasn't just a normal visitor. She had a key. Her things were lying about in his place. And the familiarity that they both expressed towards each other swirled around the air, keeping out any intruders.

He balled his hands into tight fists. Sho had never felt so out of control. Just thinking about how they were staying in the same place was nearly tearing him apart. He was more than just angry or irritated. Sho was livid.

But the desire to let his anger roll free was too strong to suppress. Sho could feel his self-restraint failing and before he could reign himself back, the hatred-filled words finally slipped through.

"I see," he whispered quietly, "you had to hide from the reporters, right?"

Kyoko, who was completely caught off guard by his change in tone, blinked a few times before she murmured, "How did you know that?"

He smiled darkly. "I guess it makes sense," Sho continued in the same voice, ignoring her question, "after all, the two of you getting together is quite tremendous, isn't it?"

Sho turned his attention to Ren.

"Exactly how you wanted it…right, Mr. Big-shot?"

Ren felt it—the same electrifying aura that crackled whenever he was in the same room with this guy. It was nearly impossible to ignore it. Sho was challenging him and Ren was more than ready to retaliate. Out of all people to lose against, Ren refused to give in to a man like him. But before he could open his mouth to respond, Kyoko had already jumped in and stood before him as if she was some sort of shield.

"Who the hell do you think you are, Shotaro?" she snapped. "Don't speak to him like that, you pig-headed bastard!"

"What the—? PIG-HEADED?"

"That's right!" Kyoko shouted hotly. "Besides, this isn't Tsuruga-san's fault! It's all mine!"

"Fault?" Sho asked with a raised eyebrow. "Whoever said this was his—?"

He stopped.

"_Wait, this relationship…is a fault? That doesn't make any sense…"_

Sho confusedly gazed at the two people before him, feeling the questions blaze within his mind. He didn't understand what was going on at all. If these two loved each other, was it alright to actually label their love as a mistake? Why did it seem like she didn't want this relationship at all?

He furrowed his eyebrows, reassessing the situation before him as he realized that something was definitely not right.

And that's when he saw it.

Sho's eyes widened in surprised. Even though Ren and Kyoko were standing close to each other, the undeniable distance between their bodies could not be disregarded. Although she was close enough to touch, Ren did not reach out for her. His hands remained stiff at his sides, a sign that he would not—or rather could not—touch her.

Kyoko stood with her back to him, but her body language was clear. She was defending her senior, a man she respected more than life itself. Love was completely out of the question.

A small chuckle escaped Sho's lips. He couldn't believe the massive mood swings he was experiencing. Just before, he was so angered that he thought he was ready to kill, but now all he could feel was intense relief filling his heavy heart. The corners of his mouth turned upward.

"_She isn't his." _

So with new found vigor, Sho said with a wide smile, "I see. Then your so-called relationship is all a lie."

Ren noticed it immediately, the firmness in his voice. Sho wasn't asking a question. He was stating a fact as if he was already sure of the answer.

"This is all just some sort of bad gossip, isn't it?" Sho asked, glancing up at Ren whose jaw had clearly tightened.

"I'm the one that did this," Kyoko growled as she noticed his eye movement. "Leave Tsuruga-san out of it."

He laughed and leaned against the doorway, staring at Kyoko with a smile that gleamed with mocking pride. Now that everything was right again, now that everything made sense, Sho felt as if he was practically invincible. Sho was finally standing on his rightful pedestal as the sole master of Kyoko's emotions. And with the familiar confidence coursing through his veins, he wanted to make it undeniably clear that the only person who could take up her attention was solely himself.

Sho sneered, but this time his eyes were locked on the man behind her.

"_I'll make you see how much control I have over her. You'll see why I'm more important than you—how you mean nothing."_

"Well then, please accept my deepest apologies, Tsuruga," Sho answered with a slight bow of his head. "I guess you really did have nothing to do with it. It sounds to me that you're just an innocent victim in this unfortunate predicament."

Ren's eyes hardened. He didn't like where this was going at all.

"But now that I think about it," Sho continued, "it makes much more sense that you started this, Kyoko. After all, it's more beneficial for you than him, right?"

Kyoko froze.

"What do you mean by that?" she whispered.

Sho shrugged his shoulders. "Well, why would a guy like him say he's in a relationship with a girl like you? You can't do anything for him. But for you to say you're his girlfriend, well, that's much more advantageous for your career, isn't it? It's almost like you're leeching off of his fame."

Kyoko's heart stopped dead in her chest. She could feel the defiance in her throat, but it was like she lost the will to speak. She was stunned down to her very core.

"However, I have to admit that I'm disappointed," Sho continued as he shook his head at her. "When you told me that you were going to get your revenge, Kyoko, I thought you were going to win me out by raw talent. I guess that was a mistake on my part then."

Kyoko's eyes widen.

"_No…it's not like that."_

He scoffed obnoxiously. "Was the slow progress too much for you to bear? After all, getting your fame from tabloid fodder works just as well as acting, doesn't it? Your name is now known by nearly everyone in Japan. No sweat, no work, no effort was needed in this rise to stardom at all."

"_You're wrong_."

"And here I was thinking you were going to challenge me like a professional, but that was never your intention, was it?"

"_Stop it."_

He laughed loudly. "I put too much faith in you, Kyoko. You're not a competitor at all."

"_SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"_

"And you call yourself an actress?" Sho accused with a smirk. "You really are—"

"Enough."

Sho stopped.

The voice that he had expected to hear was hers. The fury he wanted to elicit was hers. All he wanted was a reaction from her.

That was his sole purpose from the very beginning—for her to burst into her usual rage that would completely monopolize her attention, to prove once and for all that he held the bigger part. But the murderous voice did not escape from her lips. She hadn't said a word.

Sho's eyes slowly moved away from her shocked face and landed upon the person behind her.

Ren's calm demeanor was long gone. It was almost like he was a completely different person. No longer was the polite and gentle person standing before them. He was replaced by someone undeniably more horrifying. The intensity in his eyes blazed like a thunderous storm ready to obliterate everything in his path.

He took a step forward.

"That's enough."

Kyoko slowly turned her head around and found herself staring into his dark eyes. She couldn't believe it. The Demon Lord had arisen.

"You've over-stayed your welcome," Ren murmured quietly, allowing his gaze to bore into Sho's frozen expression.

"T-s-s-s-s-s-s-suruga-san," Kyoko stammered fearfully, "it's okay! I'm not—!"

"Mogami-san," he interrupted in a firm voice. "Why don't you go change and I'll show our guest the way out?"

Kyoko couldn't argue. He wasn't ordering her, but the authority in his statement was too powerful to resist. The look on his face forced Kyoko to follow his request…practically obediently. It was almost like she had no freedom of her own to refuse. So with a small nod of her head, she agreed in a soft voice, "Yes Tsuruga-san."

And when Kyoko finally found the strength to turn down the hall, she distinctly heard the front door close behind her with an ominous thud, feeling as if she just barely escaped from a terrifying hurricane.

* * *

><p>The two men didn't say a word as they walked a few feet down the hall. Although Ren was practicing every amount of control he could muster to remain placid, Sho was frantically trying to compose his face. He had never felt anything so intense in his life. Even now, when he recalled the ferocity from that guy's expression, Sho could feel the fear bubble up inside his throat.<p>

But as a man, Sho refused to run away with his tail between his legs. He didn't give a damn about Ren's status or age. It didn't matter at all. Sho was definitely not going to give in without a fight.

He came to a halt.

"Did I anger you?" Sho asked indifferently as he stared at the opposite wall.

"Was that your intention from the beginning?" Ren asked in a low voice. "To insult her?"

Sho turned around and saw that Ren was standing quite far from him. Traces of his anger had vanished, but the contours of his face were still hard. Ren may be calmer, but it was obvious that Sho was not forgiven.

Sho chuckled lightly.

"No, I actually had other things in mind when I came up."

Ren raised an eyebrow.

"Let me ask you something, Tsuruga," Sho began as he casually leaned his shoulder against the wall, "did you think this was going to be the big break between you and her? That this was somehow going to set everything in motion?"

Ren glared. "Are you implying that I was going to use this rumor to my benefit?"

"Sure, after all, this was the chance for you to finally make her aware of your feelings."

Ren shook his head. "You have no idea who I am. I'm not one to take advantage of others for my own selfish reasons."

Sho laughed, retorting, "Are you sure about that?"

He froze.

"What are you talking about?" Ren demanded, feeling his muscles tense up.

Sho smirked. "Even I can tell, Tsuruga. Kyoko might not be your girlfriend, but the fact that she's staying at your place is odd."

Ren didn't reply.

"Is it really proper for a young and single female to be all by herself in her senior's apartment?"

Ren growled and felt the fury from before resurface. He didn't need to hear this accusation from him out of all people. Although Ren understood that it was improper for her to stay over like this, the fact that this person was telling him that he was taking advantage of Kyoko was enough to make his blood boil. The muscles in his arms tightened as he tried to remain calm, but the smirk on his face was too much for Ren to bear.

"What? Did I hit a nerve?" Sho asked with a grin.

The musician chuckled humorously and turned his body so that his back was against the wall. Linking his hands together, Sho brought his hands behind his head and gave a slight groan.

"You're too easy to read, Tsuruga," he continued in the same prideful voice. "The way you stood around her would tip everybody off about how stiff your relationship is. No one in their right mind would think you guys are a couple."

His eyes suddenly brightened in understanding as he turned to face Ren.

"Oh! Now I get it! That's why you both have been out of the public eye. Did you not want this kind of information to leak out to the public, Tsuruga? To hide how _fake_ your love was?" he snickered.

Ren was losing it. Piece by piece, his composure was beginning to crack. Every word that Sho uttered was like a stone hitting against brittle glass. Ren was on the near verge of turning to a side he hoped would never resurface. But he couldn't hold back anymore. It was only matter of time before he fully lost all control.

Sho clicked his tongue. "So maybe I was wrong. Maybe Kyoko didn't start this rumor. After all, it'll only cause her more trouble. But you would have every reason to, wouldn't you?" he asked, peering at Ren out of the corner of his eye.

Ren's hands clenched tightly.

"Not only will you be able to have her in your apartment, but she'll even cook and do housework for you," Sho laughed with a shake of his head. "You get all the perks of having a woman in your house without all the trouble. I guess you're a smarter man than I thought, Tsuruga."

Sho stood up straighter and faced Ren completely.

"You get your own personal maid, free of cost."

SLAM!

It happened before Sho could even blink. The swiftness of his movement occurred at such blinding speed that Sho didn't even realize when he had moved.

Ren's fist was now forcefully hammered against the wall, just mere inches away from Sho's frozen face. His entire arm practically trembled from the sheer impact of the punch. Ren wasn't looking at Sho. His eyes were downcast, covered by his dark hair that draped over his forehead. But his eyes weren't needed to convey his feelings. The atmosphere was more than enough for Sho to tell that he took one step too far.

Sho didn't even dare to breathe. He was paralyzed from head to toe. A part of him couldn't even believe what happened. Sho would have never expected anything like this, but the dark air was hovering around him like a smoke cloud, too heavy to deny or avoid.

"Do not confuse me with yourself," an unrecognizable voice sounded from the man beside him. "I am not you."

Sho gulped.

And before he had time to collect himself, Ren's head raised a fraction of an inch to reveal a rage that blazed behind his coal-black eyes. The fury engulfed his tense body as he stared into the wide eyes of his prey. Ren couldn't hold back even if he tried. It was too late now. The desire to release his pent up frustration was no longer just a mental thought, but now obviously apparent in his body language. His hands twitched in anticipation, his arms quivered in alertness, and his eyes saw nothing but the man in front of him.

"I will not use Kyoko," Ren continued in the same cold voice. "I won't wrong her like you did."

Sho laughed nervously. "Wrong her? What are you—?"

He stopped. His heart stuttered painfully as he stared into Ren's intense face. That statement completely caught him off guard. Sho couldn't believe his ears.

"She told you?" he whispered hoarsely.

Ren glared menacingly and slowly removed his clenched hand from the wall, turning his back onto Sho.

"What you did to her in the past," he began quietly, "is none of my business. I can't change what happened. However, let me warn you now. If you ever hurt or try to harm her in any way again, I promise you that next time—"

He glanced over his shoulder.

"—I won't miss."

Sho's blood ran cold. That look…it wasn't angry…it wasn't even ominous…it was much, much worse. That gaze was filled with murderous intent. Although he would never admit it, Sho was scared out of his life. He couldn't move at all, no matter how strongly he willed his legs to pick themselves up. All he could do was helplessly stare at the man before him, feeling as if he was now a locked-on target.

"I assume you know the way out," Ren murmured in a surprisingly soft voice as his hand touched the doorknob to his apartment.

He turned his head to meet Sho's frozen expression.

Ren's face was no longer taut with anger. It seemed to be smoother somehow, but the darkness of his eyes remained. The electricity around his body crackled dangerously, ready to strike at any moment.

But instead of making any move towards the musician, he swiftly turned the knob with his hand and opened the door.

"Goodbye Fuwa," he whispered before the door closed shut.

Sho backed up against the wall, feeling his lungs constrict as if they were being squeezed with two giant hands. His breath came out in shaky gasps as he tried to ease his heartbeat into its normal pace. Sho felt like everything inside him was shutting down. He had never been so shaken up before in his life.

When he felt his body come alive once more, Sho managed to find the strength to pick up his leaden feet. He could move again. But, just when he was about to unsteadily walk down the corridor, something on the wall caught his eye.

And there…right where Ren's fist had hit, there was now a large cracked hole, speckled with blood.

Sho's eyes widen.

For the first time ever, Sho felt something that he would never forget. It wasn't just fear and it wasn't just alarm. In fact, this emotion was more crippling than any hateful insult or blood-curling terror.

Recalling Ren's threatening words, Sho could feel his ego-filled heart rapidly begin to deflate as his body became heavier and heavier with a feeling he had never experienced in his life:

Complete and utter defeat.


	13. Chapter 13: More Surprises

Hi everyone! So, I just want to express my great relief that you liked the previous chapter. I'm glad you all felt that it was realistic and didn't think it was OOC. Therefore, I hope I will continue along that same path for the following chapters LOL. Anyway, thanks for all the great reviews! And Please Read and Review.

**Disclamer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>Kyoko kept her eyes on the pancakes, trying her very hardest to stop worrying about what had happened. She already lost a whole night's worth of sleep over it and if she was nowhere close to figuring out why he was mad after mulling it over for nearly eight hours, then thinking about it now would definitely not help. She sighed heavily and slid the fresh pancakes onto a plate.<p>

It was no use. Kyoko couldn't leave the matter alone.

Yesterday's surprise visit from the biggest jerk of the century was both unsettling and terrifying, yet it had nothing to do with the visitor. Just thinking about Ren's reaction during the whole fiasco made goose-bumps appear on Kyoko's pale skin as she placed the plate onto the dining table. She had been on the receiving end of his anger before, but yesterday's reaction was more than just anger. In reality, she couldn't really find the words to describe exactly what it was. However, if there was one thing she was sure of, it would be that she never wanted such a strong response elicited from him ever again.

But what surprised her the most was the look on Ren's face when he reentered the apartment after showing "the guest" the way out. He came back with ice-cold eyes and fresh cuts on his right hand. Not understanding at all, Kyoko was going to ask him what happened, but his curt way of answering her question made her drop the subject all together as she silently tended to his injury. Although she knew that Ren was not one who would get violent, the fact that he got hurt was just too much! Did he and Sho have some sort of fight? But even then that didn't seem plausible because Kyoko would have heard the noise. This whole thing didn't make any sense at all.

The rest of the day passed nearly in silence. Ren didn't say a word and whenever he did talk, it was just a couple of words at a time. It seemed like he was lost in thought and all he wanted was to be left alone. So that was what Kyoko did. She gave him the space she believed he needed, but even then, she found herself feeling more and more disturbed.

She angrily ran a hand through her hair.

"_It must have been that damn Shotaro's fault with his rude way of speaking to him,"_ Kyoko thought with clenched teeth. _"He ruined everything!"_

Kyoko roughly pulled out a chair and plopped herself down. Then without moving her head, she glanced at the glowing clock on the microwave and saw that it was 9:36. It wasn't too early, but Ren still hadn't woken up yet. She lowered her head onto her arms.

"_He really did look tired last night, maybe even a little green. Sleeping in might do him some good," _she thought to herself.

Kyoko groaned. Even though she didn't want to disturb him, a part of her was still dying to know what happened out in the hall. However, the larger and more rational side of her was too fearful to bring it up. Obviously Ren didn't want to talk about it and that should be more than enough reason for Kyoko to disregard everything. However, the desperation to know was too strong to resist! She wanted to fix things somehow, to lift his sullen mood and turn things back to the way they were before Sho came. Kyoko let out a long sigh.

"I just want him to smile again," she mumbled dejectedly.

"Is that all?"

Kyoko whipped her head around.

Ren was standing by the kitchen entrance, dressed in casual trousers and a grey knitted sweater. His eyes seemed to soften by the second as he leaned against the wall with his arms folded over his chest. "That's all you want?" he asked again.

Kyoko scrambled to her feet and clasped her hands in front of her body. She could practically feel the heat rush to her cheeks. She was so embarrassed!

"Well—I just—I didn't mean to—it's just, you looked so sad—! And I—!"

He moved his head from side to side and smoothly approached her, watching her eyes widen until they were the size of marbles. Ren smiled gently. Then extending a hand to Kyoko's face, he brushed his fingertips across her cheek and murmured, "Is this better?"

Kyoko smiled timidly. That was it—his warm and sincere smile.

She nodded.

Ren chuckled, unwillingly lowering his hand. She was so easy to please. It was at times like these when he could feel just how much he loved Kyoko. Her pure and sweet innocence was too heart-warming for him to bear.

But still catching traces of worry in her amber eyes, the corners of his mouth slightly turned downward as he murmured, "I'm sorry if I made you concerned, Mogami-san. I had a lot on my mind yesterday."

"It's okay, Tsuruga-san! I understand. It's just…"

She averted her eyes. Kyoko couldn't get herself to ask. She was too scared of how he would respond if she asked straight out, but at the same time, this was the first time when he looked like he was ready to talk about what happened. She couldn't let this chance pass!

So in a barely audible murmur, Kyoko inquired quietly, "Did he…say something rude to you?" She didn't even dare to say the perpetrator's name.

Ren's jaw tightened. He thought he had his temper under control by now, but it appeared to be a little too soon to forgive and forget. Just thinking about yesterday was enough for Ren to feel like he was ready to explode. He practically felt like a ticking time bomb.

Kyoko timidly raised her head at his prolonged silence and to her surprise, saw the ominous look in his eyes.

"Tsuruga-san?"

Ren placed both of his hands upon the table and shook his head. He had to get a grip. This was not the moment to let his anger get the better of him. He didn't want to fall into that mode again, especially in front of Kyoko. But realizing that he had to answer her, he murmured in a low voice, "Not to me, but rather to you."

Kyoko didn't reply. That wasn't the answer she was expecting at all. Then remembering what Sho had accused her of, she could suddenly feel the irritation bubble up inside of her as his words rang in her ears. It nearly made her body tremble with fury.

However, even though Sho did frustrate her tremendously, Kyoko successfully dismissed her feelings because at the moment, all she could think about was Ren. Somehow, his anger was more important to her than her own.

Therefore, she replied in earnest, "It doesn't matter what he said, Tsuruga-san! You shouldn't be upset over that! He's not worth your time!"

Ren laughed wryly and turned to face her. He figured she would answer with something like that. Kyoko was the least self-absorbed person he had ever met. But refusing to brush away his feelings so easily, he replied in a tender voice, "Even so, I couldn't stand idly by and allow him to insult someone so important to me."

Kyoko froze.

She tried her very hardest to pretend that she heard wrong, that it was just her ears malfunctioning due to the lack of sleep. There was just no way he said it. It was impossible.

But his brown eyes seemed to smolder with sincerity as she helplessly drowned in his gaze. He didn't break eye contact. He didn't look away at all. Ren stared relentlessly into her amber eyes, holding her in place. He looked extremely calm, as if he wasn't fazed at all. But Kyoko could feel her heart beat faster and faster until it was impossible to discern one beat from another. The threat of a heart attack was all too real, but Kyoko couldn't get herself to care.

She just stared back at him, letting herself fall further.

Ren had no intention of saying such a precarious statement. It slipped without him even realizing it. But as soon as those words left his lips, he was suddenly happy he said them because it was exactly how he felt. Those words summed up his feelings perfectly.

Then very slowly, with a bravery he didn't recognize, Ren raised a hand to her face once more and cupped her cheek. He didn't say another word. He just gently rubbed this thumb across her porcelain skin, watching her eyes gleam with surprise yet pleased that she didn't move away. This was exactly what he needed—for her to see him and only him, if only for a moment.

Kyoko, on the other hand, was quickly losing it. She had no idea how to react. A part of her told her to stop this action immediately, but just the thought of avoiding his tender touch made her heart ache. It wasn't like he was hurting her. In fact, Ren had always been a source of comfort for Kyoko, and right there and then she had never felt so secure.

His smile softened.

"_Tsuruga-san…"_

DING-DONG!

Kyoko shot up in alarm, feeling as if her heart jumped straight out of her chest.

Ren was quite shaken as well as he unsteadily took a step back, but managed to cover it up with a laugh as he explained, "That's probably the President and Maria-chan."

Kyoko breathed heavily. She thought she had died. She had never been so surprised in her life. But in a slightly calmer voice, she managed to ask, "They're visiting?"

Ren nodded. "He called me just this morning. Sorry for not mentioning it sooner."

Kyoko shook her head vigorously, exclaiming, "No! It's okay, Tsuruga-san! I'll go get the door then!"

So desperate for any excuse to remove her hysterical self from his presence, she dashed to the front door and quickly unlatched the lock, not bothering to check through the peephole. She turned the doorknob and when the door swung open, it revealed none other than President Lory and his granddaughter, Maria, both with a smile upon their faces.

"Good morning, Mogami-kun," his deep voice rumbled. "How's everything?"

Bowing politely, Kyoko replied in a slightly breathless voice, "Good morning, sir. And everything has been well, thank you."

"Onee-sama!" Maria exclaimed as she let go of her grandfather's hand and wrapped her arms around Kyoko's waist.

"Hi Maria-chan!" Kyoko said with bright enthusiasm, giving her a quick hug. "It's definitely a surprise to see you here."

"I wanted to see you and Ren-sama! By the way, where is—?"

All words suddenly escaped her as the man in question walked from out of the kitchen and flashed his breath-taking smile in her direction. Automatically squealing in glee, Maria eagerly leapt into his already open arms and yelled, "Ren-sama!"

Ren chuckled as he felt her arms wrap around his neck. "You're still as enthusiastic as ever, Maria-chan."

She smiled brightly. "How's the chickenpox, Ren-sama?" she asked, running her small hand over his dotted cheek.

"I was going to ask the same thing," President Lory added as he stepped through and closed the door behind him. "Is it improving?"

Ren nodded. "Thanks to Mogami-san."

Kyoko blushed profusely and shook her head, saying in earnest, "It's the medicine that's working, Tsuruga-san! I have nothing to do with it!"

"You're too modest, Onee-sama," Maria pointed out with a laugh as she jumped down from Ren's arms. "Of course you helped him feel better too."

Kyoko didn't answer as she caught Ren smiling in her direction. Her heart seemed to beat in overtime, but refusing to freeze up like earlier, she shyly turned her eyes away and asked, "Would you like something to eat, President Lory, sir? Maria-chan?"

"No, no, we had breakfast before we came here, Mogami-kun, so thank you for the offer. Besides, I came here with more _specific_ matters to get to," he answered as he turned to Ren whose eyes seemed to have hardened just a bit. Even though his voice was as light as always, there was something in the President's expression that made Kyoko wonder what was so important for him to come all the way here. He didn't look like the kind of man to pay personal home-visits.

"And Maria, you said you wanted to speak with Mogami-kun as well right?" he asked.

"That's right!" she exclaimed as if she had forgotten, facing Kyoko. "It's important!"

"Oh!" Kyoko murmured in astonishment. "Sure, Maria-chan. We can talk about anything."

"Then why don't you girls talk in here while Ren and I speak in the kitchen?" President Lory offered with a kind smile.

And before she could provide any kind of response, the two men were already walking towards the kitchen, emitting an aura that no one should interfere. Kyoko frowned. Something was definitely fishy. And although her curiosity was more than piqued, Kyoko couldn't do much about it since Maria was already pulling her towards the black couch in the living room. So forcing herself to give up, she lowered herself down upon the seat as Maria sat beside her.

"First things first, Onee-sama," she began seriously, "are you okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"Although I know you're not one to listen to all those evil things those girls are saying, even I would feel slightly bothered by how much they're criticizing you," Maria said with a frown.

Kyoko laughed with a wave of her hand. "Oh! That's what you meant. I'm okay, Maria-chan, really! Thanks for worrying so much."

"Of course, Onee-sama! We have to stick together!" she replied defiantly with her fist raised in the air. "Since we're probably the only supporters of you and Ren-sama's relationship, we need to stand strong and united!"

Kyoko smiled nervously. "Supporters?"

"Right! It doesn't matter what those people think, Onee-sama! You just be his girlfriend as long as you want! Don't pay them any attention!"

"Maria-chan," Kyoko began slowly, "did no one tell you?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Tell me what?"

Kyoko sighed sadly. This wasn't good. Although she didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, Kyoko had to set her straight before things got really out of hand so she said with a sympathetic smile, "Maria-chan, none of this is true."

"Huh?"

"Tsuruga-san and I are not in a relationship," Kyoko explained gently. "It's all just a rumor."

Maria's eyes widen. She turned towards Kyoko until both of her legs were on the couch. "No way. It's not true?"

Kyoko shook her head. "I'm sorry, Maria-chan."

"So wait, why is everyone—?"

"It's sort of a blown-up story," Kyoko said as she scratched her head with a sheepish smile, "I irresponsibly let some things slip that made people get the wrong idea. And one thing led to another, so here we are."

Maria furrowed her eyebrows, asking hesitantly, "Which means…you and Ren-sama…aren't together?"

Kyoko nodded.

"Oh," she mumbled as she faced the television. "That's…surprising."

"It is?" Kyoko asked.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I always thought that you and Ren-sama will be together," she murmured with a small pout. But suddenly, as if her mood was already uplifted, she shook her head from side to side and said with an unconcerned shrug of her shoulders, "But I guess it's okay. I'll just have to wait until that finally happens. There's still plenty of time left anyway, so—"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Kyoko stammered anxiously as she gripped Maria's shoulders and turned her body so that she faced her. "What do you mean that we _will _be together? Whoever said that?"

"No one," Maria answered confusedly. "Just me."

"Why would you think that?" Kyoko asked in a shrill-like voice.

Maria raised an eyebrow. "Really, Onee-sama?"

Kyoko froze. She didn't get it. Why was Maria looking at her like she was missing out on something really crucial? Was there something she wasn't seeing?

"Maria-chan, what do you mean?"

"Well," she began in a tone as if it was the most obvious thing ever, "I always thought you had special feelings for Ren-sama. Whenever you're together, you both look really happy and I know that he really likes you. Not to mention, you're here taking care of him, aren't you? So you have to like him too."

Kyoko's jaw dropped open. She couldn't believe it. It was like she was talking to Yashiro all over again. Did he and Maria have a talk about her beforehand or what? But what was most surprising was that a girl as young as Maria was noticing things that Kyoko didn't even realize. This was starting to get really ridiculous!

"I do like him, Maria-chan," Kyoko agreed, "but feeling more than that? That's absurd!"

Maria bit on her lower lip. "So you don't love him?" she asked uncertainly.

Kyoko shook her head. "No, I don't."

"Are you sure, Onee-sama?" Maria asked with a raised eyebrow. "Because your actions say otherwise."

"WHAT?" Kyoko murmured in alarm. "What are you talking about?"

"Onee-sama, you're saying you don't love him, but I feel like a part of you doesn't even believe it. It's like the words are just coming out of you because you're used to it; to me, it sounds like there's no truth behind it at all."

Kyoko's heart stuttered to halt.

Why did those words hit home so hard? Kyoko felt as if someone suddenly knocked the breath right out of her. It was true that Kyoko denied these accusations of "love" over and over again, but was Maria right? That her response was now becoming rehearsed lines rather than responses about her own feelings? Was that really true? Her cheek suddenly burned hot from where his skin gazed hers.

Maria smiled at Kyoko's frozen expression. "But if you're confused Onee-sama, I can help you."

"Help me?"

Maria giggled in response and stuck her hand in the pocket of her crimson dress. Holding something small in her grasp, she said happily, "Open your hand."

Kyoko did as she was told and felt something metallic drop into her palm. It was a ring with a large stone in the center, swirled with different colors. She raised an eyebrow. "What's this?"

"It's something I purchased recently! This was why I came here today!" Maria explained excitedly. "It's a mood ring I got for you! The stone changes color according to how you feel. Blue means you're sad, black is when you're angry, green is excited, and red means love."

"All this from a ring?" Kyoko asked skeptically as she held it nimbly between her fingers. "That's pretty amazing."

"Try it, Onee-sama! Put it on and see!"

"See what?" Kyoko inquired.

"If you love Ren-sama!" Maria exclaimed exasperatedly. "Let your emotions speak for you!"

Kyoko had no idea why, but she was suddenly paralyzed with fear. She didn't want to know. If Maria was right about anything today, it was the fact that Kyoko really did feel confused. Her feelings were now a big mystery, even to her. But what was the most frightening thing to her was the possibility that the ring might actually turn…

She whimpered.

"Onee-sama," Maria began sternly, "if you're so sure about how you feel, there's nothing to be afraid of, right?"

Kyoko stared into her hard eyes. Ren was right; Maria was definitely not afraid to speak her mind. So feeling like she had no other choice but to accept the dangerous challenge, Kyoko tentatively slipped the cool ring onto her middle finger and waited with abated breath. At first, the stone didn't change any color at all, but slowly the slur of colors began to melt into each other to reveal…

"Green," Kyoko murmured. "It's green."

Maria blew out a huff of air. "Darn it! I was sure it was going to turn red!" she said irritably.

Kyoko sighed in relief. _"Thank God…"_

But when she looked into Maria's obviously disappointed face, Kyoko furrowed her eyebrows and placed her hand over hers. Maria raised her head.

"Maria-chan, I don't get it. I thought you loved Tsuruga-san. Why do you want us together so much?"

Maria smiled, but her eyes seemed to sparkle with a pride that made Kyoko blink back in surprise. It was amazing how much power such a young girl possessed. It was almost scary.

"It's true I love him," she explained, "but I love you too, Onee-sama."

Kyoko laughed softly.

"Besides, if there's anyone who's going to steal Ren-sama away from me, I would rather it be someone I like," she replied with a smirk.

"Maria-chan…"

She crossed her legs and clicked her tongue. "That's why I'm counting on you, Onee-sama."

Maria turned to face a puzzled Kyoko.

"Because I'm not going to lose to anyone but you."

* * *

><p>President Lory swallowed happily. "Wow, Mogami-kun sure makes a mean pancake," he complimented as he wiped the corner of his mouth. "If I had known she was such a great cook, I would have told her to prepare me some food before."<p>

Ren chuckled as he placed a cup of coffee in front of his boss and took the seat across from him. "I'm sure she would be glad to make you anything, sir."

"Well, it's no wonder you look so comfortable, Ren," President Lory pointed out with a grin, "that girl must make your life a whole lot easier."

His eyes suddenly drifted to Ren's bandaged hand upon the table. The gleam in his eye brightened. "Well, maybe not _entirely_ easier," he corrected. "Although, that does explain the hole in the wall."

Ren automatically clenched his teeth together as he moved his hand under the table. "That wasn't her fault. I just lost control for a minute," he explained in a rough voice, not bothering to ask how he knew. President Lory had an uncanny ability of figuring things out almost intuitively.

"I see. And who was it that sent you in such a frenzy?"

He averted his gaze, remaining silent.

"Am I going to have to wheedle it out of you, Ren?" President Lory threatened.

"Sir," he began quietly, "I have nothing to hide; I promise you. I would just much rather hear your news since you took time out of your busy schedule to come all the way here."

President Lory scoffed. He had expected this. Ren had always been the most difficult to crack and it looked like it was going to take more than a threat to make him talk. But also realizing that he had other matters to get to, the President decided to play along and replied with an unimpressed sigh, "Well, since you're not going to cooperate, I might as well talk about something else."

Ren turned to face him.

"I really did come here to check up on you," the President explained. "For the last couple of days, you and Mogami-kun have been plastered on every channel and radio station across the country, so it wouldn't surprise me if something happened. Your popularity has spread like wildfire, so much that your fame is not only seen in Japan anymore."

President Lory peered at his pupil out of the corner of his eye. "News has recently reached overseas."

"I'm not fully understanding what you mean, sir," Ren answered slowly with confusion.

He chuckled. "He not only knows of your new publicity," President Lory continued as if there was no interruption, "but also of your case of the chickenpox."

"WHAT?" Ren blurted incredulously. "How did they know I had—?"

He froze.

"Wait, did you just say…_he_?" Ren croaked.

President Lory grinned. "I did."

Ren shook his head from side to side in disbelief as he covered his face with his hands. "He called you?" he mumbled in quiet horror.

"Yes, just this morning. He sounded incredibly concerned."

Ren raised his head.

"He'll be contacting you tonight, Ren," President Lory added nonchalantly.

"Why didn't you tell him that I was fine?"

He laughed and answered, "Because he wanted to hear those words coming from you."

Ren rolled his eyes. Of course it would come to something like that. That man would use just about any excuse in the book to get Ren to talk to him. He was still as determined as ever.

President Lory smiled. "Isn't it his duty to be worried though?"

Ren laughed warily as he ran a hand through his silky hair. Although this was an occurrence he could definitely do without, there was nothing Ren could do about it now. So in a defeated voice, he murmured, "When should I expect the call?"

"Around eight or so."

Ren nodded. "Should I be expecting anything else?"

"Well, he may sound a little…frantic," President Lory added with a laugh as he took a sip of coffee.

Ren sighed heavily, slicing into his own stack of pancakes.

"_Great,"_ he thought tiredly, "_as if I didn't have enough to deal with already…"_


	14. Chapter 14: Called Out

Hi all! Hope you guys had a fabulous week! So, I'm updating a little sooner than I thought, but I think that's a good thing, right? XD Anyway, thanks again for all the compliments and feedback for this story. It really makes me feel good as a writer when you all say how much you anticipate the next installation. Thanks so much! Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the rest! Please Read and Review.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>After President Lory and Maria had left, Ren was left in somewhat of a daze. Everything seemed to whizz by in hyper-speed, leaving him with only foggy memories of the rest of the day. His mind was hopelessly cluttered—to the point where he was unable to focus on anything.<p>

He exhaled deeply for what felt like the millionth time that day as he silently washed the dishes. He and Kyoko had just finished eating dinner and after what felt like hours of begging and pleading, Kyoko finally surrendered to his desire to clean up afterwards while she rested in the living room. She obviously hated allowing him to do any chores whatsoever and usually Ren wouldn't fight too hard against her; but this time around, he was in a desperate need to move his hands. He had never felt so restless in his life.

And to make matters worse, he was feeling a little off as well—maybe even a little nauseous. Although, that wasn't too much of a surprise since he didn't sleep very well the previous night. He stayed up all night thinking and even with all that alone time, Ren didn't feel like he made any solid decisions at all. If anything, he felt even more confused.

Placing the last dish on the drying rack, Ren dried his hands on the towel upon the counter and quickly shut off the kitchen lights. And just as he was about to ask Kyoko what it was she was watching, his words were suddenly caught in the middle of his throat as he spotted Kyoko lying on the couch. With surprised eyes, he noiselessly walked around the sofa to see her body curled into a C-shape. She was completely fast sleep.

Chuckling quietly to himself, Ren walked to the hall closet and grabbed his woolen quilt from the top shelf. He then draped the blanket over her slender body and gingerly sat at the very end of the couch, paying careful attention to not make any abrupt movements. Although the television was still on, the volume was barely audible, so Ren figured it was safe to leave it as is.

But even in the presence of the T.V, Ren wasn't remotely interested in whatever it was that was playing. He was too busy staring at her sleeping face. She was lying on both of her hands which were tightly clasped together against her blushing cheek. Her hair slightly stuck to the side of her face and there was a small smile at the corner of her lips. Ren leaned against the arm of the couch, refusing to take his eyes off of her.

Even with her asleep, he could feel his heart pound loudly against his chest as he thought about what he did just this morning. Ren had no idea what had gotten into him or why he had decided to do such a risky thing. He usually planned those kinds of moves beforehand, but this time around, it was like his body acted on impulse.

He smiled tenderly at the memory.

"_Her cheek was really soft…"_

Then as if struck by a bolt of lightning, Ren swiftly turned his attention to the glowing screen, realizing that the longer he stared into her innocent face, the faster he was losing his control. Still, the televised program couldn't hold his interest for very long. Even though he wasn't looking at her, he could still hear her quiet breathing and possibly even feel the warmth from her body. Ren shook his head warily. He was really starting to lose it.

And then, to his utmost surprise, Kyoko's legs suddenly shifted position until they were now completely stretched out upon his lap. Ren froze as he stared down at her slender legs. Not only were they resting on his thighs, but her pant-legs were slightly rolled up to reveal her smooth skin underneath.

At first, Ren had no idea what to do. He didn't want to risk moving them in fear of waking her up, but at the same time, her legs were painfully toying with his self-restraint. The urge to run his fingers across her delicate skin was practically twisting his stomach into knots. Ren groaned quietly as he leaned his head back against the headrest, balling his hands into tight fists by his sides. He never realized how difficult it was getting day by day.

He peeked at her out of the corner of his eye. It was a miracle how Kyoko didn't seem to notice the kind of effect she had over him, but at the same time, Ren was eternally thankful for it. After all, if she ever had a small glimpse of how weak he was against her, she would probably run away in fear of what he might do. Ren smiled darkly. Still, even if she did run, he probably wouldn't let her get away. Ren was in it far too deep to release her now.

She sighed.

His eyes softened significantly as he felt his resolve fade into oblivion. It was no use now. His desires won over. So deciding to risk it, Ren slowly unclenched one of his hands and placed his palm against her bare calf. Thankfully, she was undisturbed, but Ren didn't dare to move his hand anymore after that. He just kept it where it is, feeling the warmth of her skin spread throughout his palm as he draped his other arm over the headrest.

Even though he could hardly call this progress, Ren couldn't deny the surge of contentment coursing through his veins. It felt nice to just be around her. She was like his calming effect, but at the same time, had the ability to make his heart race with just one simple look.

With a deep inhale, Ren closed his eyes, feeling the knots in his back unwind. Surprisingly, his headache seemed to lessen a tiny bit too as he focused all of his attention on her even breathing. For the first time ever that day, Ren actually felt relaxed.

Unfortunately, that time was incredibly short lived when he felt his cell phone vibrate in the pocket of his trouser. It was the alarm he set for eight o'clock tonight—to remind him about one _very_ important matter.

Ren opened his eyes and reached for the cell, pushing the center button to silence the device. And with one last tender gaze at her resting face, he gently picked up her legs and placed them back upon the couch. He then rose to his feet and walked to his bedroom for some privacy. The last thing he needed was for Kyoko to wake up, especially now when everything seemed to work out for the best.

Once he reached the safety of his bedroom, Ren sat upon his large bed and waited patiently for the call, holding his cell-phone in his bandaged hand. He wasn't nervous, but he wasn't excited either. Ren just felt very keyed-up, which didn't help with the throbbing in his left temple that had now returned. He groaned and was about to lie flat on his back when his phone suddenly vibrated.

He stared down at the screen. It read PRIVATE CALLER.

So with one last deep breath, Ren smoothly flipped the phone open and murmured, "Hello?"

"ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" a frenzied voice shouted through the speaker.

Ren sighed warily. Even though President Lory had warned him beforehand about this kind of reaction, Ren couldn't believe how panic-stricken he sounded. It was so much like him to make a big deal out of nothing.

"I'm fine, so please lower your voice," Ren murmured patiently. "My current headache could do without the loudness."

"A headache doesn't sound alright to me," he scolded.

"Well, I feel _better_," Ren corrected, "and it's not nearly as bad for you to be so troubled."

Kuu clicked his tongue. "The fact that you're sick is more than enough reason for me to be concerned. Besides, it's the chickenpox! Did you know that it's significantly more dangerous for an adult to have it than a child?"

"So I've heard," Ren answered with a small smile at his chiding voice. "But I'm happy to inform you that I'm not dead, so you can relax."

He chuckled. "You haven't changed a bit, have you?"

"I guess not," Ren said, suppressing a laugh as he thought, _"Neither did you."_

"Which brings me to my next point," Kuu said in a suddenly anxious tone. "Are you upset?"

Ren furrowed his eyebrows. "At what?"

"Well, I figured you weren't exactly pleased when Boss told you that I was calling tonight."

"I wouldn't say I was upset," Ren disagreed with a shake of his head. "I just felt guilty for making you worry so much."

Kuu smiled. "Then rest assured that I'm no longer worried. Hearing your voice definitely proves that you don't feel _too_ unwell."

Ren laughed softly in response. But suddenly remembering something important that was nagging in the back of his mind, he asked in a low tone,

"She's not concerned either, is she?"

"Don't worry," Kuu answered, understanding immediately who he was referring to. "I didn't tell her a thing. In fact, she's sleeping right now—completely oblivious to what is going on."

He nodded gratefully. "Thank you."

"Well, I don't want to be the one who ruins your promise," Kuu explained in defense. "After all, aren't you the one who said that you'll return to her on your own time? My interference is practically like cheating, isn't it?"

Smiling, Ren answered, "I guess you're right. So…did the video help?"

Kuu fell silent. He seemed to be at a loss for words. But after letting Ren wait for quite a period of time, he finally murmured in a soft voice, "She loved it…as did I."

Ren closed his tired eyes, feeling his heart swell with emotion. Even after all this time, he could still feel this overwhelming sense of appreciation for his parents. They remained intensely supportive of him, regardless of the fact that he left home without their approval or knowledge beforehand. In fact, it was almost accurate to say he ran away from home. Ren knew that he could have left in a better manner, but at that time, the only thing he had in mind was to escape. But even now Ren understood that that wasn't nearly enough to justify his irresponsible decision.

So with a quiet sigh, he opened his eyes and said, "I'm glad. It's nice to know that I did something right for once."

"Hey," Kuu began in a stern voice, "how many times have I told you? You've done nothing wrong."

Ren smiled. Of course he wouldn't blame him. In this man's eyes, Ren could do no wrong.

And although that notion was ridiculous enough, Ren decided to let the matter drop for now and prolong the conversation in a more light-hearted manner. After all, since they were already on the phone with each other, they might as well talk about something not so depressing.

"So how is everything?" Ren asked casually as he leaned over on his knees. "I hope everything has been well."

"Same old, same old," Kuu replied in an uninterested voice. "Besides, I'm much more eager to know how everything is on your end."

"If you're talking about the tabloids…"

Kuu chuckled. "What else? You must be bothered by how much of a fuss people are making over you; although I have to admit that I'm pleasantly surprised that it's you and _her_ out of all people. Good thing they chose the right girl."

Ren froze.

"How did you—?"

"—know about you and Kyoko-chan?" Kuu finished with a smirk. "Even a blind person could tell, so you really shouldn't be too surprised."

Ren shook his head in disbelief. How many people were keeping tabs on him and his love life? Forget the tabloids, he had his own personal paparazzi right at home. So with a resigned sigh, he replied tiredly, "It's a rumor and nothing more. Please don't take too much from it."

"Now what do you mean by that?"

"I have a feeling that you are expecting something big to come out of this," Ren said in a suspicious voice.

Kuu didn't reply.

"Am I right?" Ren pressed.

"Well, you can't blame a guy for hoping," he finally confessed with a shrug.

Ren scoffed.

"Besides, I definitely approve of her and I know how much you care," Kuu continued. "So taken from my perspective, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong, now is there?"

"Aren't you forgetting something crucial?" Ren asked darkly.

"What?"

He rolled his eyes. "Her feelings, perhaps?"

"Well if you're so concerned about how she feels, why not ask her?" Kuu challenged. "It'll solve everything, wouldn't it?"

Ren didn't answer. Everybody was making it sound so easy. Did no one understand how risky it was? If Kyoko was like any other girl, Ren would have never been so apprehensive to approach her about this subject. In fact, he might have already made a move.

But that was just it—Kyoko wasn't like them. She was completely different from the rest and because of that Ren fell for her—faster and harder than any girl he had ever met in his life. The way she smiled, the way she spoke, her outright kindness, and even that adorable-yet-highly-unsettling obsession with fairytales were enough for Ren to feel completely love-sick. In the oddest ways possible, Kyoko had him wrapped around her little finger.

Ren groaned in helplessness as he placed a hand to his forehead. "I'm not going to use this situation for my own benefit. That wouldn't be fair to her at all."

"No, keeping your feelings from her wouldn't be fair," Kuu corrected. "I personally think that that there is the greater injustice."

He glared, not because Kuu was wrong, but more for the reason that he might actually be right. Ren always had a feeling that keeping his feelings from her was like he was lying to her, especially when he did things that clearly proved how deeply he felt for her. Of course, if Ren truly wanted to hide his love, he would have never acted so forward. But at the same time, if he forced himself to remain indifferent, then Kyoko would continue to drift further and further away from him until one day she would be with another man.

"Are you that afraid?" Kuu asked when he realized that Ren wasn't going to speak.

No response.

He laughed heartily. "I can't believe it. Are you sure you're the same man who flew all the way to Japan to build himself a career from nothing but his own two hands? The same one who took risk after risk in order to achieve renowned fame?"

Ren sighed. "I could guarantee my own success then," he answered softly. "No matter how many times I failed, I could always stand back up and try again. It's different when it comes to love. If she shoots me down, I have to stay down."

"Not necessarily," Kuu opposed. But hearing Ren's rising retaliation, he continued with, "Still, I see your point."

Ren made an agreeing sound from the back of his throat.

"But you know, even I will admit that it wasn't easy with your mother and me either," Kuu explained as if he was lecturing a teenage boy. "Not everything was sunshine and rainbows."

Ren couldn't hold the back the laugh. He was in utter disbelief about what he was hearing. Was his father really going to give him love advice?

"What's so funny?" Kuu asked defensively.

"I'm sorry," Ren answered with an amused smile, "it's just odd to hear this coming from you right now."

"Well, who better to help you than your father?"

Ren shook his head with a chuckle. "Go on," he urged.

"As I was saying," Kuu said with a sniff, "your mother and I got off to a rocky start too. She didn't fall head over heels for me at the beginning. If anything, I would say she hated my guts."

"Really?" Ren asked with a raised eyebrow.

Kuu laughed, saying, "It was hard. She made it painfully clear that she didn't want anything to do with me."

"And that didn't scare you off?"

"Of course not!" Kuu exclaimed hotly. "I loved her, didn't I? So I persisted…and persisted until she finally agreed to give me one night of her time. Begrudgingly, I should add."

Ren waited patiently for more, but nothing came through the speakers. He just stopped.

"So…did that do it?" Ren inquired after a while.

Kuu chuckled reminiscently. "Nope. She still wasn't interested. But after that one date, she was able to smile around me more and her trust in me slowly grew. The rest of the story unfurls like any other. I chased after her until she was finally mine."

Ren smiled. That definitely did sound like his mother. His father always told him that he got his stubbornness from her, and from the sounds of it she didn't make it easy for Kuu at all.

"So I guess what I'm trying to say is," his father continued, "is that if I could do it, you definitely shouldn't have a problem. Besides, Kyoko-chan is very much like your mother: hard-headed, determined, and compassionate. And I was able to win your mother over in the end, right?"

Ren laughed and shook his head.

"Well, if you put it like—"

He winced.

The pain definitely caught him off guard. From out of the blue, the throbbing in his temple grew abnormally sharper as he instinctively brought a hand to his head. It was like somebody was ripping into his brain with a knife. Eventually, the room started to spin right before his eyes. Clenching his teeth together, Ren tried to maintain his composure, but the feeling of nausea began to bubble up from the pit of his stomach.

"Hey," Kuu's voice called from the phone. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," he said quietly. "I'm just—agh…"

This didn't feel right. The throbbing had now moved to his eyes, making them sting like crazy. Unsteadily getting to his feet, Ren stumbled his way to the closed bathroom door and leaned his forehead against the smooth wood. He felt horrible.

"Kuon, what's wrong? What's going on?"

"Let me call you back," he mumbled as his head throbbed mercilessly.

"Call me back? What happened?" Kuu asked in an anxious voice.

"Nothing, nothing. I'll just call you—"

His stomach painfully lurched and before he could even utter a good-bye to his father, Ren had already wrenched the bathroom door open, dropping his cellular phone on the floor.

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><p>SLAM!<p>

Kyoko woke with a start, jumping into an upright position. Her heart was practically pounding out of her chest. At first, she was highly confused, barely even recognizing where she was. She had no idea what was going on. One second she was watching the television and the next thing she knew, she was laying on the couch with a quilt over her body. But instantly remembering the loud noise that had awoken her from her heavy slumber, Kyoko scrambled to her feet and stood in the empty living room.

"Tsuruga-san?" her sleep-filled voice called. "Tsuruga-san?"

Silence.

Panic suddenly rose in her throat, crippling her senses in fear.

"_Where is he?"_

And seeing that the kitchen was pitch-black, Kyoko hurriedly dashed down the hall, hearing her footsteps echo around her. And after instinctively making a swift turn into his large bedroom, she came to a halt and allowed her eyes to scan the room before her. He wasn't in bed. The covers weren't even drawn back. But when she finally turned to the bathroom door, she spotted his open cell-phone upon the carpet, laying face down on the floor. Understanding immediately, she quickly approached the door and knocked on the wood with her knuckles, saying in earnest, "Tsuruga-san? Are you in there?"

"Mogami-san..."

Her heart stuttered at the tone of his voice. He sounded miserable.

"Tsuruga-san, what's wrong?" Kyoko demanded in a pitchy tone, moving her hand towards the doorknob, but realizing that it was locked.

"It's nothing," Ren replied in an attempt to sound normal, but in the end failed miserably. The uneasiness could still be heard in his feeble voice. "I just feel a little nauseous."

"Nauseous? Why do you feel—?"

ZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Kyoko turned her head to the muffled sound and realized that it was his phone vibrating on the floor. But deciding to ignore the call for now, she turned back to the bathroom door and said, "Tsuruga-san, please open this door!"

"It's alright, Mogami-san," he answered weakly. "I just need a moment. You can go."

ZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Gritting her teeth together in agitation, she exclaimed hotly, "Of course, I can't! You're sick!"

ZZZZZZZZZZZ!

"It's really not that bad," Ren pleaded.

ZZZZZZZZZZZ!

"Tsuruga-san, open this door! Let me see what's wrong," Kyoko demanded as she wriggled the doorknob.

ZZZZZZZZZZZ!

"I'm fine, honest..."

ZZZZZZZZZZZ!

"No, you're not!"

ZZZZZZZZZZZ!

"Tsuruga-san! I'm not joking!"

ZZZZZZZZZZZ!

"TSURUGA-SAN!"

ZZZZZZZZZZZ!

"WHO IS THAT?" Kyoko said exasperatedly as she whipped her head around.

"Wait, Mogami—!"

But it was far too late. Even when he had already swung the bathroom door open to stop her, even when he had already extended a hand towards her, Kyoko didn't seem to notice his hasty movement at all. Her slender back was suddenly turned towards him as she got down on her knees and snatched up the device, swiftly pressing the send button with her finger.

And before she could even take in a breath, before she could even blink, she heard—

"KUON!"

Kyoko froze.

"Kuon, are you alright? Is everything okay?"

She didn't speak.

She couldn't even breathe.

It was like everything around her had suddenly faded to black.

That voice…that male voice…she knew that voice.

"_Father…"_

Her heart thudded to a halt as realization came raining down like a storm. There was no way she misheard it. The name was clear. The voice was clear. And even now, the answer was clear. Feeling as if her body had turned to stone, Kyoko slowly turned around to look up at the man behind her, paralyzed with fear.

Staring into his dark eyes, she could tell that it was true—that there was no mistake. But even then, that didn't prevent the words from escaping her lips. Even then, Kyoko couldn't stop herself from asking the fated question:

"You're Kuon?"


	15. Chapter 15: Just Between You and Me

Hey all! So as always, thank you for all the reviews. Your reactions are truly priceless and very fun to read. I'm happy that you guys are enjoying the story so far and think that it's worth reading. It definitely means a lot. As a last thought, this chapter is a little longer than the others; hopefully, that's okay! :D Please Read and Review.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>There were many ways to describe what was going through Ren's head. One was blatant fear that out of all people to ever discover his secret, it had to be Kyoko. Second was frustration at how careless he was to actually let her find out. And finally, defeat as the words "the jig is up" and "the cat's out of the bag" echoed in his mind like a broken record player. In laymen's terms, he felt like a mess.<p>

Still, what was done was done and there was nothing he could do about it except try to salvage whatever part of the situation he could. So in a desperate attempt to compose his face, Ren slowly knelt down upon his knees until he looked at her face to face. Kyoko didn't move an inch.

Then in a slow and deliberate motion, he reached for the cell phone in her trembling hands and gently took it out of her grasp. Bringing it to his ear and refusing to avert his eyes, Ren murmured in what he hoped was a steady voice into the receiver, "I'll call you back."

Kuu didn't answer immediately. It was obvious that he was stunned into silence. But once he finally found the voice to speak, he stammered nervously, "W-w-w-w-was that…?"

"Yes," Ren answered calmly. "It's her."

"Oh my god," Kuu moaned in horror. "Oh my god…Kuon, I'm so sorry. I can't believe I just—"

"It's okay," Ren replied with a shake of his head as he continued to stare into her frozen eyes. "You don't have to apologize. But for the time being, I'll have to talk to you later."

Kuu sighed heavily, clearly still distraught, but managed to answer with, "Alright then. Call me as soon as you're done."

And with one mumbled farewell, Ren snapped his phone shut, placing his cell on the floor beside him. Kyoko still hadn't moved. She was resting upon her calves, gazing relentlessly into his eyes, but appearing to be in another place entirely. It was like everything inside of her had come to a screeching halt.

Ren took in a deep breath. There was no way to go around this now. No shortcuts, no lies…just the truth.

"Mogami-san."

She blinked.

"I know that you're alarmed, but I want you to listen to me for just a second."

Ren waited for her to answer, but she seemed to have lost the will to speak. She just looked at him with the same intense gaze that nearly bore into his soul.

He pressed his lips together. This didn't look good.

"Mogami-san," Ren began again, "I want to explain everything. I want to clear things up. But I will understand if you don't want to know. If you want to disregard everything right now, I can do just the same. You don't have to listen."

Ren had to give her the option. From the looks of her face, this was the biggest piece of news she had ever received and forcing her to understand everything was not fair to her at all. He could see how the color had drained from her cheeks and how her body had become as still as a statue, unmoving and nearly lifeless. She was shocked down to her very core.

But at the same time, he could see how hard she tried to make sense of it all. It was like she wanted to understand, but couldn't get herself to accept it.

What happened next was nothing Ren could have expected. In a flash, the contours of her face changed. It was almost like it was wiped clean of all emotion except for one: intense concentration. Then with a slight frown, she fluidly got to her feet and walked straight out of the room without a single look back.

Ren couldn't believe it. It was like someone had dropped a bomb right in front of his eyes. He was absolutely staggered.

Although he knew that Kyoko was alarmed, he would have never guessed that she would react like this. He would almost say that it was completely out of her character. But at the same time, a part of him understood. After all, it wasn't like she just discovered a measly little secret. In seconds, Kyoko had now come to realize that the man she thought she knew was actually another person entirely. Of course she would be angry. Of course she wouldn't want to listen. Why should she?

Ren closed his eyes.

It was over.

But just as he was about to stand, he suddenly heard rapid footsteps dashing down the hall. And before he could even turn his head around, Kyoko had astonishingly materialized right before him, with a glass of water in one hand and a small white pill in the other. She held out the items.

"Take this. It should help with the nausea."

Ren's eyes widen as she sat flat upon the ground, crossing her legs.

"I don't want any interruptions," she explained with a timid smile at his expression, "so let's make sure you feel better first before you start talking."

Ren's heart pounded loudly in his chest, having completely forgotten his headache or sickness. His hands started to get clammy and his breathing even increased in tempo. Never in his life had he ever felt so anxious and relieved, all at the same time. Although he should feel scared out of his mind that he was going to reveal practically everything about himself to her, the fact that she cared enough to listen was more than Ren ever needed. Kyoko just wanted to know.

So with a gentle smile, he obediently swallowed the pill and water in one swig before placing the empty glass beside him. He then fully lowered himself onto the carpet, all the while carefully gauging her reaction to see if she had changed her mind. She didn't.

"I think I should answer your question formally before I say anything else," Ren said. "So let me say it now."

He breathed in deeply.

"Yes, I'm Hizuri Kuon."

Kyoko's mouth twitched, but she remained absolutely silent, listening to his every word.

He smiled at her reluctance. "I think it's safe to assume that you knew Tsuruga Ren was a stage name, right Mogami-san?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

She nodded slowly. He had revealed that part to her long before. Besides, it was extremely common for celebrities to have an alias in order to protect their personal lives. It took out all the stress of what real fame could bring. But even so—

"I never thought you had two identities though," Kyoko admitted.

Ren chuckled. "That's an interesting way of putting it, but I guess that sounds about right."

Kyoko smiled as she realized how his mood was oddly cheerful. In a way, he was making it seem as if they were just having a friendly conversation rather than unraveling the mystery of the century. Ren was acting so carefree. So deciding to take advantage of this moment, Kyoko asked curiously, "How long?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"How long have you hidden this?" Kyoko clarified.

Ren sighed, replying, "Five years or so."

"For what purpose?"

He furrowed his eyebrows, at a complete loss as to how to answer this. "That's actually quite a broad question. I don't even know where to begin," Ren answered thoughtfully.

Kyoko shifted closer to him with wide, anticipating eyes. "Try."

He smiled. "Mogami-san, do you remember the reason you told me of why you wanted to study acting?"

"Yes, to find Mogami Kyoko," she recited.

Ren nodded. "Then I guess you could say I was thinking along the same lines. I also wanted to find me."

Kyoko blinked in surprise.

"At the time when all of this had happened," Ren began patiently, "my parents were reaching brand new heights in the entertainment industry, especially my father. He achieved great success in his acting career, traveling all over the world and getting new roles left and right. I was immensely proud of him."

Ren fell silent, gazing down at his hands as if he was completely lost in thought.

"Tsuruga-san?"

He raised his head to see Kyoko staring at him with confused eyes. Her body was slightly angled towards him, silently asking what was wrong. She looked very concerned.

A sigh escaped his lips. "I'm sorry, Mogami-san. This is a lot harder than I thought."

She shook her head. "It's okay. I understand."

Ren smiled gratefully and relaxed his shoulders. He didn't even realize how stiff he was.

And with another deep breath, he continued in a hushed tone, "It happened before I had even realized it. I had fallen in so deep into his overwhelming shadow that I began to change, hopelessly lost in my own self-doubt and lack of self-worth."

Kyoko's breath quivered at the sound of his voice. It was filled with so much resentment.

His eyes darkened. "I gradually became a person I'm not proud of, someone I tried to erase."

"What kind of person…?" Kyoko trailed off.

Ren gritted his teeth together, feeling the anxiety that he should have felt earlier come crashing down like a wave. A part of him clearly didn't want to go in depth about what he meant. It was too soon for this. Kyoko barely knew who he was and if he was just going to open up about the kind of dark person that existed within him, it might ruin everything between them forever.

But when he found the courage to look back at her face, Ren realized that she wasn't scrutinizing him in the slightest. Her eyes glowed with genuine curiosity and nothing more. She was patiently waiting for his response, yet smiling in an encouraging way that made him feel like everything will be okay in the end.

So deciding to let his actions speak for him, Ren extended his bandage hand towards her and murmured, "This is a good representation of who I was."

Her eyes widen. She carefully held his injured hand between hers, trying to decipher what he meant. She was still very confused.

Ren watched her nimbly run her fingers across the binding, careful not to apply too much pressure. Kyoko had on such a serious-looking expression. It was obvious that she was trying harder than she should. Maybe it was because the answer wasn't as clear as he thought. He let out a small smile.

"You're over-thinking it."

Kyoko raised her eyes at the sound of his voice and suddenly felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. Ren looked so saddened. It was almost as if he was remembering something very painful. At that moment, the desire to comfort him was practically strangling her for breath. Kyoko had never wanted to help so desperately.

"If I had the choice to change my past actions," he confessed in a faint voice at her silence, "I would. I would do just about anything to take back all the pain I've caused, all the sins I've committed. I was at the lowest part of my life."

Ren lowered his head.

"The need to free myself from the shadows, the need to run away, the need to forget finally drove me to Japan with President Lory's aid. He extended a helping hand to a boy who felt as if he had lost just about everything. And without the slightest hint of hesitation, I left America and my parents behind. I haven't returned since."

He didn't dare to look at Kyoko after that. He was afraid of what he might see in her eyes. Shock? Disappointment? Fear? What did she think of him now?

But to his surprise, he felt her hands squeeze his in reassurance, pulling his attention to her face. Ren's eyes widen. She was smiling at him with the tenderest gaze.

"That must have taken a lot of courage," Kyoko said gently. "Were you terrified?"

"A little," Ren admitted with a softened expression. "A foreign country where I didn't know the language, I had no idea where to begin. I was completely lost, but President Lory kindly took me in and gave me the opportunity to reinvent myself. Gradually, I stripped Hizuri Kuon away, both mentally and physically until the only person who remained was Tsuruga Ren. As soon as I earned my own name, I swore to myself that I will succeed without ever having to revert back to my past. I was determined to bury everything inside of me."

He laughed wryly as he clenched his injured hand into a weak fist. "My resolve was obviously not very strong. I frequently relapsed into my…old ways."

Kyoko didn't want to pry. It was clear that he didn't want to go into the details, but even then, she could guess what he meant. Now she understood the meaning behind his bandaged hand. It was proof that he wasn't always the gentle person she thought he was.

"Does that scare you?" Ren murmured, keeping his dark eyes on her lap.

"Not really," Kyoko answered truthfully. "If anything, it makes me all the more intrigued."

Ren raised his head incredulously. "Intrigued?"

Kyoko smiled, replying, "Sure. I mean, I'm not saying I like it when you're angry, but during those moments, you're expressing your real emotions. You're not hiding anything and that's refreshing to me."

Ren chuckled. "You're unbelievable," he murmured in a barely audible voice.

But it seemed that Kyoko didn't catch what he said because she suddenly began in earnest, "Still, there's something I'm really curious about."

He arched an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

"You said you changed both mentally and physically. How much did you _physically_ change?"

He laughed, louder than he had intended. The change in topic definitely caught him off guard. And what was even more surprising was that Ren's spirits were amazingly uplifted even though he was still in the process of discussing his horrid past. He shook his head in disbelief. Only Kyoko had the power to make him feel so light-hearted.

"Well," Ren said with a natural smile, "I think you can guess. What do you think I changed?"

Kyoko bit on her lower lip. Gazing intently at his features, she appraised the man before her like a mysterious painting. It was hard to believe that he didn't always look like he did right then. In a way, it was almost as if someone was trying to convince her that an elephant didn't normally have a trunk or a fish wasn't always covered in scales. It was just that weird.

But recalling back what he told her, Kyoko remembered that Ren was originally from America and from her own experience of meeting Kuu, that his father had Caucasian characteristics. So taking a well-thought out guess, she tried, "Your hair?"

Ren smiled widely. "What about it?"

"It's not brown, is it?"

He laughed. "One down, one more to go," he answered, obviously amused.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Kyoko said excitedly. "Does that mean you're blond like Father?"

Kyoko froze. She couldn't believe what she just said.

Then bowing her head low in apology, she said fervently, "I'm so sorry, Tsuruga-san! I didn't mean to say that! He's your father, not mine! I'm really—"

"Mogami-san," Ren interrupted gently, "just because he's my father doesn't make him any less yours. Besides, it makes me happy when you say that so please don't apologize."

Kyoko blushed. It felt weird to say "father" now that she knew his son was actually Ren. She felt like she was encroaching on something really personal. But deciding to leave that matter alone for now, she asked again, "So…do you really have golden hair?"

Ren nodded.

She giggled proudly. "Okay then, so your hair is one and you said that there's one more left, right?" Kyoko asked as she returned to her strict assessment of his face.

He moved his head in agreement.

Then with the utmost care, her amber eyes slowly trailed over his neck, chin, lips, cheekbones, forehead, eyes—

Kyoko gasped!

"Your eyes?" she exclaimed elatedly.

Ren laughed and nodded once more, replying with a carefree shrug, "Contacts."

Kyoko covered her mouth in surprise. This was just too surreal!

"Then what color eyes are you supposed to have?" she asked in excitement, instinctively bringing her face closer to his.

His heartbeat severely increased in speed as he reacted to the close proximity of her lips. She was just too close. But practicing intense mental restraint to not move, he managed to stammer, "B-b-blue."

"Wow," Kyoko murmured, clearly amazed and unfazed. "That's so pretty."

Chuckling shyly, Ren ran a hand through his hair and said in a humble voice, "I wouldn't go so far as to say that."

Kyoko moved her head side to side in utter disbelief as she properly sat down on the floor again. She was so surprised that she couldn't even contain herself. All of this didn't even seem possible. After all, blond hair and blue eyes were the two characteristics she always thought belonged to a prince or some kind of—

Her eyes widen.

"_Fairy…"_

It was ridiculous. The thought was truly absurd. But even with that in mind, Kyoko couldn't stop herself from comparing. Considering what Ren had told her, she had to admit that his story was very similar to the plight of the person she met in a glistening meadow, the fairy prince she assumed she would never see again.

The desire to escape from their father's shadow…wasn't that too much of a coincidence? The resemblance between Ren and Corn was absolutely remarkable—maybe even a little scary. Besides, if he really did look like the way he said, then Ren truly was the human version of Corn.

"Is everything alright, Mogami-san?" Ren asked curiously as he saw her eyes glisten in awe. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing!" she replied quickly. "I was just trying to picture how you would look with blond hair and blue eyes."

Ren smiled. "Any luck?"

Avoiding his penetrating gaze, Kyoko mumbled in an oddly quiet voice, "Sort of…"

But before he could say anything else, she suddenly jumped in and asked, "How many people know, Tsuruga-san?"

"Know what?"

"That you're Hizuri Kuon," she said.

"Besides President Lory and my parents, no one," Ren answered. "Just you."

"Not even Yashiro-san?" Kyoko asked incredulously.

Ren nodded with a small smile. "President Lory and I agreed to keep this strictly confidential in order to assure that this wouldn't get leaked out. The tabloids would have a field day if they realized that _the_ Hizuri Kuu is actually my father. So yes, even Yashiro is unaware."

The feeling coursed through her veins before Kyoko could help it. She suddenly felt immensely privileged, as if she was somehow more important than everyone else for the moment. Of course, she knew it wasn't true, but even then, Kyoko couldn't deny the happiness that swelled within her at the thought that she now shared a secret with Ren. For that one split second, she had never felt so close to him.

"I swear I won't tell anyone, Tsuruga-san," Kyoko promised fervently. "Your secret is safe with me."

"I'm not concerned about that at all, Mogami-san. I know I can trust you."

Kyoko smiled timidly. She didn't know how to respond at all. It was like her throat had closed up with emotion, rendering her speechless. His compliment was doing wonders on her already trembling heart. But when her eyes casually fell upon his black cell phone beside him, her eyes glowed in surprise as she said, "Tsuruga-san, you should probably call him back, right?"

Ren followed her line of vision and replied, "I think so. He's probably worried out of his mind."

"Okay then," Kyoko said determinedly as she got to her feet, "I'll go outside and make you some tea. I'm sure you would want some privacy anyway."

He smiled and pushed himself up to a standing position, holding his cell phone in his hand. "You don't have to make tea, Mogami-san."

She shook her head stubbornly, replying, "It'll be good for your nausea. Which reminds me, do you feel better?"

"A lot better actually. Thank you."

Kyoko smiled brightly. "Great, then I'll be outside, Tsuruga-san. Take your time."

And with a slight bow of her head, she turned around and quietly made her way out of the room. But before she was even a couple of feet away from the door, she suddenly felt his hand wrap around her wrist. Kyoko turned towards him in surprise and nearly felt her heart thud to a stop.

He was staring directly at her, his brown eyes smoldering like a blazing flame. Once again, she found herself drowning in his gaze that seemed to melt everything around her. Although she had felt this kind of helplessness before, Kyoko still couldn't get over how overpowering it was. She had never felt so weak in her life. The way he looked at her and even the softness of his warm hand were all too much. Ren had her completely under his spell, almost effortlessly.

Then, in a smooth motion that Kyoko could have never predicted, he swiftly pulled her body towards him until her blushing cheek rested over his heart. She froze, hearing his steady heartbeats.

"Thank you, Mogami-san," Ren whispered as he lowered his head over her shoulder.

Kyoko froze.

"F-f-f-for what, Tsuruga-san?" she stuttered, feeling her body heat up instantaneously.

He chuckled lightly at the sound of her voice, eliciting ripples down her spine. Ren held her so dangerously close, as if he wanted to encage Kyoko in his arms forever. His large hands were placed on her lower back and his hair slightly draped over her face. Ren was just everywhere. It was like his presence was all she could see and feel. Kyoko was really drowning.

"I don't think I can ever tell you how relieved I feel right now. Your acceptance of me when you know I'm not the man you thought I was is more than what I deserve. You helped me in ways I can't even imagine, Mogami-san."

At first, she had no idea what to say. The intensity of his words all but crippled her ability to speak. She could hear his obvious sincerity, but at the same time she was bothered by what he said. It didn't sound right to her at all. So moving her head from side to side, she rubbed her cheek against his knitted sweater and murmured, "You're wrong. You're still the man I thought you were, Tsuruga-san."

Ren leaned back slightly and found her staring up at him with fiery eyes. His arms were still firmly wrapped around her slim torso, but her hands were now placed upon his broad chest. Kyoko smiled.

"Whether you're Hizuri Kuon or Tsuruga Ren, you're still you."

Feeling his heart swell with joy at her simple words, Ren smiled warmly as he pressed her body against his chest once more. Kyoko slowly closed her eyes in contentment as she allowed herself to relax in his gentle embrace, her hands gripping the fabric of his shirt. Although the logical reaction from her should be blatant surprise and horror, her body wouldn't move. It was like it wanted to be there, as if this actually felt right.

And after holding her for a few more prolonged seconds, Ren finally found the strength to release her from his arms and took a step back. Her cheeks were obviously flushed, but her eyes didn't show a single trace of anxiety. She actually seemed okay.

Then again, he might have spoken a little too soon because as soon as realization hit her, Kyoko's eyes widen in her usual alarm as she stumbled back towards the door.

"Okay then, Tsuruga-san," Kyoko stammered in a pitchy voice, "you go make that call and I'll see you when you're done, alright? Okay! I'll be outside!"

And without daring to catch another glance at his breath-taking face, she quickly dashed out the door and closed it behind her with a thud. Kyoko gasped for breath in the hallway. Composure was now long gone. Even when she was removed from his over-bearing presence, her state of mind wouldn't return to normal. Everything inside of her was going haywire.

It was just a hug. It was just a hug out of gratitude, but she couldn't calm herself down. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't dismiss his heated embrace or the sweet smell of his skin. It was impossible to forget. Kyoko could almost feel his arms around her and hear his strong heartbeat. He had taken complete control of her senses.

She bit on her lower lip and gave her head a vigorous shake. She had to get a grip.

So balling her hands into tight fists, Kyoko forcefully jammed them into her pockets to cease the shaking when she suddenly felt something sitting at the bottom. Recognition flowed through her veins as she pulled out the silver ring and held it between her fingers. The dark center stone was once again swirled with its many colors, shimmering in the pale light and waiting patiently for a user.

Kyoko's jaw tightened.

Maria had told her to wear the ring whenever she felt confused or whenever she wanted to figure out her cluttered emotions. But this time around, Kyoko wasn't confused. If she carefully considered the state of her mind and body, confusion was not the correct term that summed up _exactly_ what she felt. This time around, the only sensation that ran through her was unconcealed fear.

The way her heart was beating out of her chest, the violent trembling in her knees, and the racing thoughts in her head were all tell-tale signs—signs she wanted to ignore more than anything. Kyoko warily leaned against the wooden door and slid down until she sat upon the floor.

Leaning her now heavy head onto her curled knees and grasping the small ring in the palm of her hand, Kyoko let out a small groan. She didn't need to put on the ring. She couldn't even get herself to look at it.

She was afraid…

Afraid of what she might feel…

Afraid of what she might see…

And ultimately, afraid of what color it will reveal if she did.


	16. Chapter 16: A Day of Color

Hello Everyone! Hope you guys had a fun week! So, I'm really happy with the comments you guys made about the previous chapter. I know that there are many people who right about that scenario and I am pleased that you all didn't think it was OOC. Thanks again! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p><em>DING!<em>

Kyoko jumped nearly ten feet into the air. She had been staring off into space for the last thirty minutes, absent-mindedly leaning against the marble counter with this dazed look on her face. But at the sound of the timer, she quickly ran to the black oven and pulled open the door. The aroma of fresh-baked cookies wafted throughout the kitchen as Kyoko carefully put on a pair of oven mitts and moved the hot silver pan onto the table.

They came out perfectly. Golden brown and flawlessly round, the inviting smell of cinnamon spread like wildfire. Then taking a quick bite out a cookie, she smiled proudly as it deliciously melted on her tongue, leaving a rich after-taste in her mouth. It was Kyoko's very first time baking "American" desserts and it looked like she had a knack for more than just Japanese cuisine.

Grabbing a clean plate from the top cupboard, Kyoko got to work placing the cookies on the dish, but her focus seemed to be hopelessly divided. Although Kyoko tried to keep her hands busy, there wasn't a single activity that stopped her from thinking about what happened yesterday. Her thoughts raced from one memory to another like a lost mouse in a maze. She couldn't relax.

Now that she knew that Ren was Kuon, Kyoko didn't know how to react at all. Even though it was obvious that nothing changed about him since his personality was still as gentle and polite as ever, knowing this piece of information oddly enough made her even _more_ aware of him—if that was even possible. For instance, when he had greeted her this morning like usual, Kyoko's panicky response made him do a double-take and ask her what was wrong.

But when in fact, there wasn't anything wrong—at least with Ren. There was nothing wrong with the fact that he was Kuon or the fact that he hid this secret. Even his dark past didn't bother her. Kyoko's anxiety had nothing to do with Ren at all.

It was all her.

The only thing wrong was how Kyoko couldn't stop thinking about him ever since last night. Her mind kept drifting back to the memory of the hug, his warmth that spread all the way to her fingertips, and the sound of his husky voice in her ear. But the one thing that really put Kyoko on edge was the taunting thought of that horrid ring she had shoved underneath her pillow. It was _that_ thing that had her heart beating like crazy and her hands tremble uncontrollably. It wouldn't give her peace at all.

Kyoko exhaled deeply in wariness as she placed the last cookie on the plate and put the baking pan into the sink. She then retrieved the two glasses of tea she had prepared before from the fridge and properly placed them on the long wooden tray she grabbed from the pantry, right alongside the plate of cookies.

Ren had been in his bedroom all afternoon, but Kyoko figured he was just resting. After yesterday's surprise wave of nausea, she assumed he wanted to take it easy and not risk the chance of going through that again. And with the hope of lifting his spirits, Kyoko decided to make him a special treat to get his mind off of everything. Plus, well-aware that he wasn't too fond of sweets, she also made sure that the cookies weren't TOO sugary. Ren would never criticize her cooking so it was up to Kyoko to ensure that it was to his taste.

Gripping the two handles at the end of the wooden tray, Kyoko carefully walked out of the kitchen with steady hands and approached his closed, bedroom door.

"Tsuruga-san?" she called, patiently waiting outside.

And to her surprise, Kyoko heard somewhat of a struggle, as if she had startled him. She furrowed her eyebrows. _"Shouldn't he be in bed?"_

"Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko said again, this time in a more suspicious-sounding voice.

Then right on cue, he opened his door just a crack and said brightly, "Hello, Mogami-san."

"What are you doing?"

But providing no response to her question, his eyes conveniently fell upon the tray in her hands as he asked with a pleasantly surprised expression, "You baked cookies?"

"Yes," Kyoko said coldly as she noticed how he had side-stepped her question. He was definitely up to something.

Ren shook his head in disbelief. "And here I was thinking that this was my opportunity to do something for you."

Her eyes suddenly widen in confusion. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

He smiled. "Close your eyes."

"Huh?"

"Close your eyes," he repeated and when her expression didn't change, he added with a quiet laugh, "Trust me."

Kyoko was greatly puzzled. He wasn't making any sense to her at all. And she clearly noticed how he paid careful attention to not let her see anything that was going on inside the room. His body covered every hole of opportunity to even catch a passing glimpse. But the smile upon his face looked so eager and hopeful that she couldn't help but do as he asked. So with a quiet sigh, Kyoko reluctantly shut her eyes.

He chuckled. "Good, now keep them closed until I say so," Ren ordered in a teasing tone.

"Okay," she replied with a small smile at the corner of her lips. His mood was oddly contagious.

Then distinctly hearing the door creak open wider, Kyoko sensed Ren step directly in front of her and gently take the tray out of her hands.

"By the way, these look great," he complimented as he looked down at the plate of desserts. "And they smell amazing too."

Kyoko blushed. "Well, I hope they taste okay."

"I'm sure they will. You made them after all," he replied with a tender smile she didn't see.

Lowering her head in embarrassment at his sincere praise, Kyoko didn't say anything as she heard the sound of his muffled footsteps walk back into the room, followed by a soft thud as an indication that he had placed the tray onto a table.

"Tsuruga-san, what's going on?" Kyoko asked in an exasperated voice when the silence continued for a few more prolonged seconds. She hated the feeling of being out of the loop.

"One minute," Ren replied at a farther distance as he rustled a piece of fabric of some kind. "I want to make sure everything is perfect."

"Make what perfect?"

He chuckled at the obvious annoyance in her voice. "You really hate not knowing things, don't you?"

Kyoko frowned and crossed her arms, replying, "At least give me a hint."

"No need," Ren answered in a clearer voice when he walked up to her once more.

And before Kyoko could say anything, he gently pulled her arms part and held each of her slender hands in his. Kyoko's heart reacted loudly in her chest as she felt him pull her inside the room, matching each of her steps with his own.

"Okay," Ren said as he positioned her in a specific spot, "stand right here and keep those eyes closed."

Kyoko breathed in deeply through her nose. "How much longer?" she whined.

He laughed and stepped beside her. "Now."

She opened her eyes. At first, her vision was too blurry to focus on anything except for this big blank blob before her. But when everything began to clear, Kyoko could feel her jaw slowly drop open in awe as she found herself standing in front of the wall at the foot of his bed. The dresser and television were moved to the side of the room as a way to open up more wall space while the floor was littered with markers.

And there, hanging from four pins was a large, thin white blanket, spotted with colorful dots the size of marbles. There was no pattern to the design except a polka-dotted frenzy.

"Tsuruga-san," Kyoko began uncertainly, "what's this?"

"It's my pathetic attempt of challenging you to a rematch."

She turned to him with wide eyes to see him with a dazzling smile upon his face. He looked so enthusiastic. "A rematch?" Kyoko repeated. "At what?"

"Well considering that you did such a good job of taking care of me, I must regrettably inform you that my arm is no longer of use as a canvas," Ren explained as he extended his bare arm towards her. "So I had to come up with a way to improvise."

Running her hands across his now almost completely healed skin, Kyoko murmured, "I have no idea what you mean, Tsuruga-san."

He chuckled lightly, feeling his heart throb at her innocent touch, as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out two black markers. Handing one to her, Ren asked, "Is it my turn to teach how you to play connect the dots now?"

Recognition hit her like a full-on collision. She almost wanted to slap her palm against her forehead for her stupidity. Kyoko couldn't believe she actually forgot. And in an instant, a wide grin formed at the corner of her lips as she watched his eyes brighten with humor. Ren was clearly enjoying this.

"I can't believe you," she said with a shake of her head. "This is what you've been doing all this time?"

"I know it doesn't look very appealing, but this way, I don't have to wash away your work and instead keep it as a memorabilia."

Kyoko giggled. "Don't you mean _our_ work?" she corrected.

He smiled widely, realizing he liked the sound of that more than he should.

Then smoothly popping the cap off of her marker, he offered with a gesture of his hand, "Ladies first?"

Her smile grew more pronounced as she excitedly turned her eyes to the massive canvas, searching for a new picture among the masses of dots. It was like taking another trip down memory lane. She couldn't believe that it had only been a couple of days since the last time they played.

And with a neat image already in mind, she walked up to the hanging quilt and started at a green dot near the bottom right corner. Drawing swift lines from one point to another, Kyoko was able to bring her idea to life in barely under a minute.

She took a step back and glanced over her shoulder, seeing Ren with his arms folded over his chest as he marveled at her new work. "What do you think?" Kyoko asked brightly.

Ren moved his head from side to side. "I probably should have gone first. I didn't think you were going to raise the bar so high," he said. "How in the world did you get the idea to draw a rocket?"

Laughing, Kyoko replied, "A little imagination goes a long way, Tsuruga-san. And don't tell me you forfeit already. Weren't you the one who challenged me?"

Playfully glaring at her obvious smirk, Ren stood before the blanket and quickly scanned the surface. He was so pleased that she decided to go along with the game that it didn't even matter if he "lost." This was turning out better than he had ever expected.

But when he continued to stare at the blanket, Ren immediately regretted drawing so many circles. There were so many to choose from that not only couldn't he choose which one to start with, but also which ones to use. And after thinking for quite a long time, his hand finally moved across the fabric, drawing black lines with every motion.

"There," Ren said as he stepped back beside her. "How's that?"

Kyoko smiled broadly. He drew a dog—a very big dog at that with pointy ears and a tongue sticking out of its mouth. Even she had to admit it; the drawing was cute.

But instead of stroking his ego, she answered nonchalantly, "It's decent."

"Decent?"

"Well, compared to this," Kyoko defended amusedly as she walked forward and began to sketch again.

Soon after that, the competitive rounds of connect the dots continued. Taking turns and eventually working together, Ren and Kyoko spent most of the day creating new pictures on the soft blanket until it was nearly covered in ink. At one point, Kyoko even had to pull up a chair to reach the top, while Ren didn't seem to have too much of a problem with that.

"Wow," Kyoko murmured as she finally jumped off the seat and walked backwards until the back of her knees hit the bed. "It looks amazing."

The previously colorless blanket was now filled with black and white images, surrounded by colorful dots that provided a certain amount of depth to the pictures. There was obviously no theme to the art, but that was what made it so fascinating. It was clear which drawings belonged to Kyoko and which to Ren. Yet somehow, their work blended together, ultimately creating something that was both interesting to look at and admire.

Ren re-capped his marker and stood beside her, his eyes moving across the canvas. "I think we did a pretty good job."

She glanced up at his face and smiled. "We did," Kyoko murmured softly.

His answering smile was incredible. It nearly made her eyes burn in their sockets. Kyoko had no idea why, but Ren was in such a cheerful mood, probably even more so than ever before. It was like he was running off on some high that was going to last for hours.

Ren then sighed in contentment as he sat down upon the floor, leaning his head back against the foot of the bed with one leg curled up and the other stretched. He looked up at her with a casual expression and asked, "Care to join me?"

She nodded, but remembering something else, answered with, "Wait one second."

Walking over to his bedside table, she quickly grabbed the wooden tray and brought it over, sitting right beside him. "Here you go," Kyoko offered politely as she handed him a glass of tea and the plate of cookies.

Ren smiled. "Mogami-san, you really didn't have to go through all this trouble," he replied, taking the cup and dessert.

She rolled her eyes, expecting this response already. "I know," Kyoko answered.

He laughed at her wary tone. Then with one bite into the cookie's soft surface, his eyes suddenly widen in awe as he murmured, "Amazing!"

"Really?" Kyoko asked excitedly.

He nodded. "It's delicious. Is there anything you can't do?"

She laughed. "Well, I don't think I could ever get the idea to do something like this," Kyoko said, turning her attention to the blanket. "I'm clearly not as creative as you, Tsuruga-san."

Ren chuckled and took a sip of tea. He usually wasn't the creative type either, but ever since last night he really wanted to do something nice for Kyoko, and strangely enough he was able to come up with a plan that worked out quite well. Ren used up most of the day preparing the activity and thankfully Kyoko didn't pop in to check on him. It would have ruined the surprise. So all in all, everything happened exactly like how he wanted it to.

"Tsuruga-san."

He turned his head to her voice and realized that her teasing expression was gone. This time, her eyes were softened and the smile upon her lips looked more serene than playful.

"Yes, Mogami-san?"

"Why did you do this?" she asked with a curious tilt of her head.

Ren smiled warmly. "I wanted to thank you for everything you've done."

"Tsuruga-san, if you're still talking about last night, I didn't do anything special."

He shook his head. "You're wrong," Ren disagreed patiently as he draped his arm over the foot of the bed, brushing his fingertips across her cheek, "you did help me. You helped me more than anyone."

Kyoko fell silent, feeling her skin tingle at his gentle strokes. It was amazing how quick the atmosphere changed from mischievous to serious in one swoop. Her head was practically spinning.

He sighed softly.

"Mogami-san, you're the first person I ever willingly confessed my past to. Never in a million years did I think I would actually want to tell my secrets to someone, let alone talk about my past so willingly."

"Because you were afraid?" she whispered, feeling her heart ache at just the thought of it.

Ren averted his gaze. "Yes…and no."

"What do you mean?"

"I always thought hiding my past was the right thing to do," he explained in a faint voice. "I was so ashamed of all the decisions I made that I assumed forgetting would somehow make me a better person. In a way, it didn't really matter what people thought. I just hated who I was so deeply that I wanted to hide for myself. Running and avoiding were the only two options I thought had."

Ren exhaled deeply. "But last night, you said something that forced me to reconsider."

Kyoko blinked in confusion.

Chuckling quietly at her lack of a response, he answered, "You told me that I was still me. Even after all that I had admitted to, your opinion didn't change. And that's when it hit me."

He lowered his eyes to her slender hands resting upon her lap, murmuring, "I never once changed, not now and not then. I was constantly running from a past I couldn't get away from. I realized that I am and always will be Hizuri Kuon, no matter how hard I try not to be. So then, I wondered, why was I running so desperately? If I couldn't change what I am, what's the point of trying to escape at all?"

Kyoko slowly moved her head from side to side, not knowing how to answer.

Ren laughed wryly. "Am I confusing you?"

"No, I'm just trying to figure out where you're going with this," she answered honestly.

Smiling, he said, "Then let me get straight to the point. What I mean is that I'm not going to let my past mistakes prevent me from living now."

Kyoko's eyes widen.

"Every choice I made, every action I committed, those all make up me. Taken separately, they mean nothing. So instead of condemning my past, why not just accept it? Instead of burying everything inside of me, I decided that I'm just going to live exactly how I want to. I don't want to hold back because of fear or shame."

Ren removed his hand from her face and brought it down to his lap, clenching it into a tight fist. "I'm not going to let my past control me."

They pierced Kyoko like no other words possibly could. Every syllable he uttered felt like it was being carved into her skin. Ren's realization hit closer to home than Kyoko could have ever expected. The similarities between them were almost too close to be true. In a sense, it seemed like he was speaking the words Kyoko could never find the strength to say.

Allowing past mistakes to affect the present…didn't that sound a little too familiar?

"Mogami-san?" Ren called, surprised by her reaction. "What's wrong?"

Kyoko didn't answer. Her throat had closed up, making it even harder for her to breathe. A sudden wave of anxiety was practically crushing her. It was his revelation. It had nothing to do with her at all. But as soon as the words left his lips, she couldn't stop thinking. For that one split second, Kyoko couldn't help but wonder:

"_Am I supposed to do the same?"_

* * *

><p>After spending the whole afternoon in his bedroom and eating dinner, Kyoko decided to go back to the seclusion of her own room and think for the rest of the night. Her mind felt unbelievably heavy, as if it was now filled with leaden-thoughts. Ren's fervent realization wouldn't leave her alone.<p>

Sitting on the far side of the bed beside the open window, she stared up at the starless night sky, recalling his passionate words. Kyoko could practically hear his deep voice echo in her ears as if he was sitting right next to her. The memory was so vivid.

Kyoko always knew that Ren was undeniably strong. He was strong enough to accept his mistakes and past, strong enough to not let them destroy who he was. But unlike him, Kyoko could never do such a thing. After the suffering she endured, she couldn't find the will to just forgive and forget so easily. The mistake she made had scarred her so deeply that it would be impossible to say that it didn't change how she felt.

But did that make her weaker than Ren? Was it so bad that she had learned from her past mistake? Was she wrong?

Kyoko sighed heavily and leaned her head onto her curled knees. She didn't want to risk the pain of love. She didn't want to go through all that misery of loving another when she knew how heartbreaking it could be. Love just wasn't on her side.

Yet at the same time, Kyoko couldn't deny how incredibly pathetic she felt. She was doing the exact thing Ren wanted to avoid. She was allowing her past to interfere with her living right now.

Then, without a clear reason as to why, she suddenly reached her slender hand underneath the silk pillow behind her. Kyoko pulled out the hidden ring and held it in her frail grasp, feeling her heart quiver inside her chest. She exhaled deeply with closed eyes.

Even now, even with all the excuses she had made, Kyoko wasn't fooled. No matter how many reasons she gave as to why she turned her back on love, somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that her heart never once believed it. It was never the fact that she couldn't love; it was because she _wouldn't_. It was because of her selfish pride, Kyoko refused to see what was right in front of her. She was her own worst enemy.

She opened her eyes.

But was it really too late to fix this? Couldn't she be just as strong as Ren? Was it really that hard?

Nibbling on her lower lip, Kyoko slowly moved the ring to her left hand. She held it with trembling fingers, feeling her body instantly stiffen. She unconsciously knew what she had to do. Kyoko had known since yesterday. Her passionate defiance about how she "wasn't" and how she "couldn't" didn't deceive anyone, not even herself.

It was one thing if she didn't feel anything for him, but another thing entirely when she did and tried to dismiss it.

Therefore, Maria was absolutely right. The words of rejection she spoke were nothing but well-rehearsed lines, ridden with denial and fear. After all, just thinking about his face was more than enough for her heart to beat like a hummingbird's wings. With him, she felt like she was walking on air. And because the answer was so clear, she thought she had to run away in panic.

But no more. No more running. No more denial. No more doubt.

Ren had spoken the truth. She couldn't let her past control her decisions, especially when it had blinded her for so long. Kyoko wasn't learning from her mistakes at all; she was only avoiding them and ultimately robbing herself of the life she deserved.

No longer did the dark stone appear to be taunting her. Somehow, the ring almost seemed like it was sweetly beckoning her to try, to let her emotions speak for themselves this time.

Kyoko silently slipped the ring onto her middle finger. The thick silver band was icy cold, sending shivers down her spine, but her eyes were intensely locked on the shimmering gem. At first, nothing happened. The stone looked more like a bottomless abyss than anything, but Kyoko knew. She just had to wait. Eventually, it was going to show the right color—the color she would expect. And before she could even take another breath, they smoothly melted into each other to reveal...

Her heart stopped beating.

"Mogami-san?"

Kyoko whipped her head around in alarm and saw Ren standing by the doorway. He had a towel over his broad shoulders that absorbed the water dripping from the tips of his damp hair. His eyes, however, were narrowed in concern as he took a step inside the room. She looked really shaken.

"Is everything alright?"

Kyoko didn't answer. She just stared at him as if she was seeing him for the very first time. Ren had never felt so self-conscious. Her amber eyes were practically burning a hole into his skin. But when he found the strength to pick up his feet, Ren silently walked in and sat on the bed beside her.

She let out a small smile at his action and nodded.

Ren didn't look very convinced. It was obvious that something had changed about Kyoko. She wouldn't look at him in the eyes. In fact, her attention seemed to be focused somewhere else. And when he finally followed her line of vision, Ren realized that she was staring down at a ring on her middle finger.

He never even realized she had a ring. But recognizing its familiar shape from a catalogue he had read, Ren asked casually, "Isn't that a mood ring?"

Honestly, he would have said just about anything to get her to talk. Ren wanted nothing more than to hear her voice. Her strange silence was really starting to scare him.

"_Was it because of what I said today?"_ he thought fearfully.

Kyoko slowly raised her head in surprise. "You know what this is?"

He smiled. _"Thank goodness,"_ Ren thought in relief as he answered with, "Yes, I've seen those before. If I remember correctly, they change color depending on how you feel, right?"

She nodded silently.

"Where did you get one?"

"Maria-chan gave it to me," Kyoko murmured.

He smiled. "That's nice of her. It suits you."

Kyoko blushed as she turned her eyes back down.

Ren noticed it immediately. She was purposefully trying to avoid his gaze. He was so confused. Today went perfectly and from what he could remember, he was on his best behavior so there was no reason for her to be so nervous around him. Ren didn't do anything irresponsible…did he? And as soon as that thought ran through his head, he was suddenly very aware that he was sitting undeniably close to her on the bed.

His skin burned white hot. Ren couldn't believe how careless he was. Even though it was fine for her to walk into his room, for him to just casually walk into hers was nothing less than a crime. This was incredibly bad for his self-control, especially when he realized that their legs were almost touching.

So desperate for any kind of distraction, Ren forcefully stared down at the ring and ran a finger of the cool stone. "I've always wondered if this thing worked," he admitted in a slightly shaky voice.

He suddenly laughed. "Would you mind?" Ren asked, looking at her from under his lashes.

Kyoko shook her head fervently.

Then very slowly, he slid the ring off her finger and onto his thumb. But as soon as his skin grazed hers, Ren could have sworn that she actually flinched at his touch. By now, he was very concerned. Although it could just be his mind playing tricks, the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach was all too real.

"_Maybe it's best I leave."_

Ren didn't say anything for a while. He kept his eyes on the ring, hoping that she would say something soon. His hope was obviously in vain because from the corner of his eye, he saw that she was staring intently outside the window. Ren sighed and looked down at the color change to give himself some peace of mind, but when he truly focused on the stone, he realized that there something odd about the ring.

"Mogami-san," he suddenly called without raising his head.

She turned to face him.

"Are you sure this ring works?" he asked skeptically.

Kyoko blinked in alarm. "Why do you say that, Tsuruga-san?"

He frowned, replying, "Because it didn't change color."

Kyoko's heart stuttered as she watched him slowly raise his confused eyes to hers.

"It's still red."


	17. Chapter 17: Guided and Misguided

Hello everyone! I can't believe it's already the end of July. Summer is going by so fast! XD So, I just want to thank you all for the encouraging and hilarious reviews for the previous chapters. It makes me really excited to see you all so wrapped up in the plot. Thank you again for all the support and I hope you like this one! Please Read and Review

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>Kyoko paced the floor like a lunatic.<p>

"Come on! Come on!"she muttered under her breath, clutching her pink cell phone to her ear as she listened to the incessant ringing.

"PICK UP! PICK UP! PICK UP! PICK UP! PICK UP! PICK—!"

The line clicked.

"What?" a voice said indifferently.

"MOKO-SAN! YOU'RE SO MEAN!" Kyoko wailed as she plopped herself down upon the dining chair, her heart swelling with relief at the sound of her best friend.

"I'm mean? I'M MEAN?" Kanae retorted in a raised voice. "I'm the one picking up your share of the work while you're taking care of Tsuruga-san! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE CALLING MEAN?"

"But you haven't been answering my phone calls!" Kyoko whined, already feeling the tension in her shoulders vanish into thin air. It was amazing just how much she missed Kanae's scolding.

She scoffed. "Well, of course I couldn't! I've been busy and haven't had a break at all!"

Kyoko fell silent as rationality came crashing down. She sheepishly dropped her head onto her arm and mumbled in a dejected tone, "Sorry, Moko-san," realizing that what she demanded from her friend wasn't exactly plausible.

Kanae rolled her eyes. Strangely enough though, she always had a soft spot whenever Kyoko acted like a child who was just reprimanded by her parent. Kanae couldn't stay mad even if she wanted to. Besides, it wasn't like she didn't miss hearing from Kyoko either. If she had to admit the whole truth, this past week was quite lonely for her as well.

So with that in mind, Kanae cleared her throat and said in a calmer voice, "Well, I'm here now. So what did you want to talk about so much that you left me 33 voicemails? Did something happen with the tabloids?"

Kyoko shook her head with surprise. "No, not that," she answered, realizing that she had forgotten about the rumor entirely.

For the past couple days, she didn't give the paparazzi or the media a second thought. It was almost as if none of that had happened in the first place. After all, it wasn't like Kyoko didn't have more stressing matters to attend to. The rumor was the last thing on her mind.

Then in a slow motion, Kyoko turned her head onto its side, staring distractedly at the opposite kitchen wall. She had focused so much of her attention on the sole desire to talk to Kanae that she didn't really give much thought about what she wanted to say. Of course, that was because Kyoko had _too much_ to say. She didn't know where to start.

Last night was absolutely mind-boggling. It was nothing short of a rollercoaster if Kyoko really thought about it. After coming to terms with her own feelings, she thought the rest of the problem would just be trying to sort out her own mind until everything was clear. But she would have never expected _that_ to happen.

She raised her head and glanced down at her right hand, staring tenderly at the crimson ring. Everything was so convoluted now. Kyoko didn't know what to think anymore. Her mind was all flustered and she couldn't focus on anything at all, except for the fact that it showed red on his finger too…

Kyoko gave her head a vigorous shake.

This was why she needed to talk to someone so urgently. There was no way she could deal with this on her own. Although she was able to get him to dismiss the color as just an imperfection of the product, the fact that it showed red was doing wonders on her erratic heart. In the back of her mind, Kyoko could feel her subconscious probing for answers, but she was so afraid of what she would find that she just shut down her mind and decided to ask for outside help.

Of course she tried to contact Kanae the next morning, practically as soon as she woke up. And call after call, Kyoko felt her heart grow bigger and bigger with anxiety when no one picked up. Although, that was probably for the best since Kyoko now had the chance to talk to her friend freely without worrying about him overhearing. He was currently in his room on the phone with Yashiro.

"MO! Are you even listening to me?" Kanae suddenly yelled.

She jumped.

"I'm sorry, Moko-san!" Kyoko exclaimed in earnest, straightening up into a proper sitting position. She didn't even notice that Kanae had been talking to her for the past two minutes.

Kanae let out an irritated huff. "It sounds like whatever you're going through isn't nearly as important as you thought since you can't even focus."

"No, no! It is important, Moko-san! I'm sorry! I'm just…really confused," Kyoko admitted guiltily. Kanae was getting more irritable by the second.

"About what?" her friend asked, obviously unsympathetic. "If you wanted to talk so badly, start talking."

Kyoko breathed out deeply through her nose, concentrating very hard on what she was going to say. This was a lot harder than she had expected. Even though Kanae was her best friend, Kyoko felt like she was about to reveal the most personal thing in her life and it didn't make it much easier that Kanae was angry. Kyoko was now even more afraid of what she might say.

"Moko-san," she began reluctantly, "do you believe in mood rings?"

"What?"

"Mood rings. Do you know what they are?" Kyoko clarified.

"This is what you wanted to discuss?" Kanae asked coldly, ignoring her question entirely. "Magical jewelry? _This_ was the big issue?"

"So does that mean you do believe in them then?" she pressed urgently.

"When did I say that?" Kanae retorted. "Rings that tell you how you feel? Yeah, right."

Kyoko's heart fell. It was truly an irrational response. Kanae was only stating her opinion and it shouldn't affect her so greatly. But hearing the absolute disbelief in her best friend's voice somehow made her feel incredibly depressed. In a way, Kyoko felt as if everything that happened yesterday was just a big, fat lie.

"I see," Kyoko replied in a quiet voice. "You don't think they're true."

"I didn't say that either."

"Huh?"

Kanae sighed heavily. "I said they couldn't _tell_ people how they feel. I never said they couldn't show."

Kyoko raised an eyebrow, not understanding at all.

"Look, mood rings are just like magic eight balls. People stupidly rely on them for answers and trust that somehow these things know everything. It's just a pathetic excuse people use to avoid admitting what they already know themselves. The answers these 'sacred' objects show aren't really answers."

"I don't get it," Kyoko replied confusedly.

Kanae shook her head in wariness, saying, "What I mean is that those things don't tell you anything you don't already know. It's just a bunch of rubbish. Magic eight balls do not have any source of wisdom and mood rings don't reveal any emotion you aren't aware of yourself."

Kyoko's amber eyes widen as she took apart Kanae's explanation piece by piece. If what her friend said was true, then the silver ring never actually told her anything new. Kyoko gripped the phone tightly to her ear, her heartbeat dramatically increasing in speed.

"Moko-san," she murmured shakily, "are you saying I can will the ring to reveal what I want it to reveal?"

"I guess so."

"So then…that means I knew all along," Kyoko whispered absent-mindedly.

"MO! Why are we even talking about this?" Kanae suddenly snapped. "What do mood rings have anything to do with your problem?"

Kyoko, however, didn't pay much attention to Kanae's biting tone. She was quickly losing her composure; disbelief was nearly coursing through her veins. There was just no way to dismiss it now. Every way out of this rut was permanently closed shut. Red was suddenly all Kyoko could see.

"Moko-san, can I ask you a hypothetical question?" Kyoko asked quietly.

"If it's another question about mood rings, I'm hanging up."

She shook her head. "No, it's more important than that."

With her curiosity sincerely peaked this time, especially by Kyoko's oddly subdued tone of voice, Kanae replied, "Fine. What's the question?"

Kyoko ran a finger over the warm stone. "What would you say if I said I was in love?"

Kanae froze.

"With who?" she demanded an in a pitchy voice, feeling as if someone had sucked out all the air in the room. The change in conversation was staggering.

"It's a hypothetical question, Moko-san," Kyoko answered.

Kanae glared. "If it's not true, then why bother asking?"

"I want to know what you think."

Kanae was really confused by now as she realized that Kyoko was acting strange—even for her. The way she sounded made it seem as if she was locked in a trance of some sort. Not only was the dialogue itself weird, but how she was talking also made it clear that something big must have happened. All this talk about love and mood rings didn't make sense to Kanae at all.

So deciding to get to the bottom of this, she replied, "It shouldn't matter what I think. It's your life and your feelings. Why should I have a say in it?"

"You don't think it makes me weak then?" Kyoko murmured softly.

Kanae blinked in surprise. "Weak? Why do you say that?"

"The need for someone else, it's not exactly an independent feeling, is it? I mean, don't you believe that a person who can't stand on her own isn't worth dealing with?"

"Mo, isn't that why we're in LoveMe in the first place?" Kanae countered warily, leaning her chin into the palm of her hand. "We're supposed to need someone else, aren't we?"

Kyoko didn't reply.

"Besides, you said it yourself," she continued in the same voice, "it's apparently what I think, right? Your opinions should matter more than my own. So, do you think it makes you weak then?"

The first answer that popped in her head was no. Kyoko didn't think it did. After all, ever since she joined LME, she was—whether she actively searched for it or not—trying to achieve the ability to love again. Or course, it wasn't like she ever lost it. But nevertheless, now that she had it, love didn't make her feel weak.

The only reason she was so nervous about it now was because Kyoko noticed how she was still very afraid. She was in no shape to welcome love back with open arms. If anything, Kyoko would probably try her very hardest to turn her back on it once again. But considering how everything turned out, it would be nearly impossible to do. Love had clearly won.

"_I guess old habits die hard,"_ she thought with a grimace.

"Did something happen with you and Tsuruga-san?" Kanae suddenly asked.

Kyoko faltered.

"Well?" she urged, when her friend didn't respond.

"Why do you think it's Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko whispered hoarsely.

Kanae scoffed, saying in haughty voice, "You are staying over, aren't you? Who else would it be?"

Oddly enough, that response made Kyoko sigh in relief. She had to admit that it extremely bothered her when Yashiro and Maria kept trying to persuade her that she unconsciously acted in a certain way that made it seem as if there was something going on between her and Ren. The fact that other people knew about her own feelings before herself was highly disturbing. That, in Kyoko's mind, was definitely weak.

Unfortunately, Kyoko's state of relief was very short-lived when Kanae casually added:

"Of course, it still would be Tsuruga-san whether you stayed over or not. This is about you two after all."

Kyoko groaned miserably. There goes person number three. "It was that obvious?"

Kanae snickered. "I was right?"

Kyoko shook her head from side to side, asking in a small voice, "Was I the only one unaware? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Right, like you would have listened," Kanae defended sarcastically. "You were so averse to the idea that I don't think anyone was going to bother trying to reason with you."

Although, that part wasn't necessarily true either. Plenty of people tried to tell her. Kyoko was just too damn stubborn to listen.

"But fill in the gaps," Kanae demanded after a while. "What happened?"

"Nothing really happened. It was just me coming to terms with myself."

Kanae frowned, obviously unconvinced. "And how did you do that?"

Kyoko wasn't up for telling the story right then. In fact, she felt incredibly tired. These past few days, she had been running off on nothing but pure adrenaline and now she was just about ready to crash. Kyoko wanted nothing more than to close her heavy eyes and rest. But also realizing that this was unfair to her friend, especially since she was the one who called her up, Kyoko replied slowly, "I had help."

Kanae clicked her tongue in understanding. "Did he confess to you?"

"Confess? Confess what?"

"His feelings, of course," she said simply.

"FEELINGS?" Kyoko shrieked. "WHAT FEELINGS? TSURUGA-SAN DOESN'T—!"

She stopped as the memory came rushing back like a storm: the red ring upon his finger. Kyoko couldn't believe it. Actually, it was more like she didn't want to. There was no way it was true. Kyoko refused to acknowledge that he actually—

Her jaw tightened. She couldn't even think the words, let alone say them out loud.

So in a defiant voice, she corrected firmly, "No, Moko-san, I used a mood ring."

"That's why you were so curious before. Were you doubtful about it or something?"

Kyoko bit on her lip. "Not exactly. I just needed a second opinion."

Kanae made a responsive sound from the back of her throat. "And the verdict?" she asked.

Kyoko didn't answer, her silence saying more than enough.

"I see," Kanae murmured thoughtfully. "Well, better late than never, I suppose. So now that you know, when are you going to tell him?"

"Tell him what?" Kyoko asked, fear rapidly rising from the pit of her stomach.

"Tell him that you—"

"NO, I CAN'T! Why would I do that?" she screamed in terror, not even bothering to let her friend finish her sentence. "Are you insane, Moko-san?"

"It's insane to let someone you love know that you care?"

Kyoko's hands clenched. Just hearing Kanae say the words made her heart shake like a leaf. Everything was moving too fast. She just found all this out yesterday and to act upon it now would probably kill her.

Besides…it wasn't like he loved her. Ren had said it himself—he respected her as a fellow actress. Love was just not a part of it. After all, was she really going to put all her faith in an object? She only used the mood ring to reinforce her own feelings, but Kyoko wasn't stupid enough to think that it would actually reveal another person's. Ren had warned her before. She should never assume how he feels.

"Are you that afraid?" Kanae asked.

Kyoko's eyes hardened. She couldn't find the words to deny it. The last time she outwardly showed her love for someone, he kicked her to the curb and drove off without another look back. And although she was more than aware of the fact that Ren was in no way similar to him, Kyoko wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. She had to keep herself shielded somehow.

"I am," Kyoko mumbled quietly.

Kanae sighed. "You really shouldn't be."

She shook her head, saying, "Moko-san, this isn't as easy as you think."

"I never said it was easy. I just don't think you should be so concerned."

"And why do you say that?" Kyoko asked with closed eyes, feeling more discouraged than ever.

"Because your love isn't unrequited."

Kyoko's eyes sprang open. Kanae's voice sounded so sure. In a way, it was like she knew exactly what she was talking about. The confidence ringing in her tone was almost unsettling. There was no room for doubt at all.

Kyoko's silence stretched on for what seemed like a very long time. Even though she could feel her head move in disagreement, somewhere deep inside of her, there was an eruption of sincere joy at Kanae's dangerous words. And with every second she let slip by without voicing her denial, Kyoko could feel her heart starting to believe that what her friend said might actually be true.

"Honestly, do you really think you're the only who cares?" Kanae challenged in a stern voice.

Her heart thudded loudly.

"Or are you just trying to talk yourself into believing it?"

Kyoko couldn't speak. It was like she was suddenly running out of excuses. Why wouldn't they spill out of her mouth?

"Whether you like it or not, I'm sure you realize that Tsuruga-san treats you differently."

She gripped the edge of the table.

"From my point of view, I think Tsuruga-san truly does have—"

"Mogami-san?"

Kyoko nearly dropped her cell phone as she whipped her head around in surprise. She had never been so scared in her life.

Ren was standing by the kitchen entrance. He had his head poking through the entryway, a sign that he didn't mean to intrude. He then smiled sheepishly at her shocked facial expression as he realized he'd startled her.

"I'm sorry. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Tsuruga-san!" she answered in earnest, feeling as if someone had just jumpstarted her trembling heart.

"Tsuruga-san?" Kanae's voice called. She was obviously surprised as well.

But ignoring her friend for now, Kyoko asked instead, "Is something wrong?"

Ren shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong. It's just President Lory. He's on the phone with me right now and it seems like he has something he wants to say to the both of us," he explained, motioning to the black cell phone in his hand.

Kyoko nodded in understanding and replied, "Okay, I'll be right out."

Then with one last apologetic smile for interrupting her phone call, Ren walked back into the living room.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go now, Moko-san," Kyoko whispered to the pink receiver. "President Lory wants to talk."

Kanae growled. "Fine, but I hope you realize I'm not through talking to _you_ yet."

"I know," she answered warily. "I'll call you back as soon as I can."

"No need. Most likely you won't reach me. So I'll call you instead and you better pick up. Got it?"

Kyoko smiled. Although Kanae's way of showing affection could be easily misconstrued, she was more than aware of the fact that this was her friend's way of showing concern. So with a small laugh, she said obediently, "Yes, Moko-san. I'll talk to you later."

And after hearing her mumbled farewell, Kyoko snapped her phone shut and placed it on the table. Upon entering the living room, she saw Ren waiting patiently for her on the black couch. Then at the sound of her approaching footsteps, he twisted his head around and flashed a brilliant smile in her direction. Kyoko smiled timidly in return.

Now that Kyoko knew just how much she felt for this man, every little thing he did towards her was like an electric shock to her body. Every smile and every touch were now magnified to an overwhelming degree. Ren was in more control of her than ever before.

But knowing that she had to act as normal as humanely possible, Kyoko calmly made her way towards the couch and sat right beside him. And as if she wasn't nervous enough, her skin suddenly burned hot when his leg casually brushed against hers as he shifted position to give her more room. Her jumpy reactions were now starting to get very ridiculous.

Then after showing one more smile in her direction, Ren murmured, "She's here, sir," to the phone that was laying face-up in his grasp.

"Is she?" President Lory's deep voice said from the speaker.

"Good evening, President Lory," Kyoko greeted with an automatic bow of her head. "How are you?"

"I'm well, thank you. And you?"

Kyoko smiled. "I'm good, sir. Thank you."

"Excellent. Now, I truly apologize for taking up any more of your precious time, Mogami-kun," he began in a very business-like tone, "but there's something important I must ask you and it cannot wait."

"Yes sir?" Kyoko replied nervously.

"Ren has just informed me that he no longer has the chickenpox. However, I must confess that I don't trust his words even for a second. I'm sure you would agree with me that it's undeniably difficult to believe anything that man says when it comes to his health?" President Lory asked.

Kyoko smiled widely.

"This is why you wanted to talk to her?" Ren demanded, narrowing his eyes in annoyance. "To see whether or not I was lying?"

She laughed. For a second there, Kyoko couldn't help but think of Ren as a little boy who was just clearly insulted by his over-protective grandfather. It was amazing to think that these two actually had an employer-employee relationship from the way they acted with each other.

"Well, could you blame me?" President Lory replied in a defiant voice. "You are the man who refused to go the doctor to get a check-up and the same man who wanted nothing more than to work while he was sick. Of course, I would be doubtful. You have every intention to lie."

Ren scoffed, clearly not pleased.

"So, is what he said true, Mogami-kun?"

"Yes, sir," Kyoko answered with an amused smile. "He's all better now. All traces of the chickenpox have practically disappeared."

"Then it sounds like you did an exceptional job, Mogami-kun," President Lory complimented.

"She did," Ren agreed in a surprisingly tender voice, peeking at her out of the corner of his eye.

Kyoko's cheeks flushed scarlet as she averted her shy gaze. This wasn't good. Whenever he looked at her with such warmth, her heart would beat so rapidly in her chest that she thought it was on fire. It felt as if she was experiencing a full-blown heart attack.

But thankfully, she didn't have to dwell too long on that thought, because the president suddenly said,

"So now that that matter has been taken care of, I'll go on to another important issue."

Ren and Kyoko turned their heads to the device in curiosity.

"If you truly feel better, Ren," his warbled voice continued, "then there shouldn't be a problem for you to leave your house tomorrow, correct?"

"Of course, sir," he answered confusedly, at a loss as to where this conversation was going. "Would you like me to stop by LME then?"

"No, not LME. I want you to go to the JTUV station instead," President Lory answered patiently.

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Why there?"

"Well, where else are you going to have your live-interview?"

Kyoko and Ren froze.

President Lory chuckled quietly at their stunned silence. "It has been a week, hasn't it, Ren? Mogami-kun?"

They didn't reply; not a single noise could escape their now frozen lips.

"I know it's sudden, but the longer we wait, the harder it will be trying to explain everything."

He suddenly let out a deep and tired exhale.

"Besides, don't you think it's high time you told everyone the truth?"


	18. Chapter 18: Words Unspoken

Greetings everyone! So, I'm updating a little sooner than I thought, but I think that should be okay. XD Anyway, I hope you guys had a fun week and I want to thank you ahead of time for reading this next installment. Hope you like it! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>Ren was staggered. Everything in his mind went completely blank. He could see the phone in his hand, he could hear President Lory's words, but a part of him couldn't believe what just happened. In a way, it was as if someone had just woken him up from the most perfect dream. Reality had never felt more brutal.<p>

"Tomorrow?" Ren whispered hoarsely.

"Yes, at 10:00 to be more exact," the president replied. "I took the liberty to schedule it early so that this rumor doesn't have to be prolonged any more than it should be."

Ren didn't know what to say. It was like all of his decisions were already made for him. The date and the location were set. Everything was in place. The only thing he had to do was say the words.

Ren turned to look at Kyoko, who oddly enough had remained quiet the entire time. Her eyes were locked on the phone in his hand, but her face was wiped clean of all emotion. She seemed to have not understood what was going on at all.

He lowered his gaze. If he had to be completely honest with himself, Ren knew that tomorrow was too soon. He hadn't thought about the rumor for days now, and to think that he was going to deal with it in a matter of hours was almost too surreal to accept. Although President Lory was right about the risk of allowing the rumor to set in, Ren was also aware of the fact that he wasn't mentally prepared yet. He needed more time.

"President Lory sir, setting the interview tomorrow, isn't it a little too—?"

"It's never too early, Ren," he cut in curtly.

Ren fell silent.

"The date stands. It's time to deal with the matter now. We agreed, did we not, that by the end of the week you will put this problem to rest?"

Clenching his hands together, Ren replied in a low voice, "Yes sir, we did."

"Then by that notion, the interview will happen as planned."

Ren couldn't argue. There was no reason why he should. Pushing the date back farther wouldn't do him any good. It wouldn't change how he felt in the slightest.

From the beginning, Red had no desire to participate in the interview. And now that his relationship with Kyoko had miraculously improved, that desire only grew in intensity. In what felt like years, the progress he had been longing for was now within his reach. Thus, to utter the words that would push her away from him was something he couldn't even think about doing. Ren wanted to hold on to her for as long as he possibly could.

He turned to face her again and realized that her attention was now focused on the red ring she wore on her middle finger, her silence continuing to stretch on. Kyoko didn't raise her head nor did she meet his gaze. It was almost as if she was too afraid to speak.

But as he stared at her frozen posture, rationality suddenly came rushing back and pulled his head out of the clouds. With a pang, Ren knew what he had to do. Kyoko's silence said more than enough. He had to go through with the interview, despite how much he didn't want to. If not, Ren would be committing the exact crime Sho had blatantly accused him of: taking advantage of her. No matter how much he loved her, Ren was more than aware that Kyoko wasn't his, that her heart was in no way tied to his own.

Therefore, to deny this interview would be forcing her into a relationship she didn't want. Regardless of how painful it was, Ren had to accept the fact that she was not in love with him. She wasn't and never will be for him.

Ren slowly closed his eyes, feeling his heart crumble to pieces. And with a resigned sigh, mumbled, "What should I expect for tomorrow, sir?"

Kyoko raised her head.

"Of course, the segment will be broadcasted live with a live audience as well. The hosts will be Candace and Kim, and they will be conducting the interview. Now from the past shows I've seen, I noticed that those two are very direct, so don't expect them to ask ordinary questions. They won't go easy on you."

Ren nodded. "Is there anything else?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. Whatever you do, don't lie."

He blinked in surprise. "What would I lie about?"

"The date of the interview is up to my discretion, Ren. But what you say during the interview, is yours," President Lory explained. "How you answer their questions is up to you and only you. Understand?"

"Yes sir," he answered reluctantly. Although the president's words were simple enough, Ren didn't get the purpose behind his advice at all. Somehow it felt as if he was trying to hint at something, as if there was something Ren didn't fully comprehend.

"Now," he continued, "I've heard what you had to say, Ren, but I haven't heard from Mogami-kun yet"

She turned her eyes to the black receiver.

"This rumor involves you as well," President Lory said. "So, is there anything you would like to say?"

Kyoko's jaw tightened. The words that so frantically wanted to be heard were bubbling up her throat. She knew exactly what she wanted to say. Her heart was nearly screaming with the emotion writhing inside of her. She had never felt so strangled.

But her mouth wouldn't open. Fear glued her lips shut. Ren had already agreed to the interview, his heart was set on it. Kyoko couldn't find the courage to say what she wanted. It didn't matter anymore. Her feelings didn't matter.

"No sir," Kyoko murmured in faint voice. "I have nothing to say."

Ren looked at her out of the corner of his eye. He could see the curves of her lips and nose, the pale color of her cheeks, but her head was lowered too far for him to see the expression in her eyes. Kyoko's voice was steady and from the looks of her shoulders she seemed to be fine. She didn't appear fazed at all.

President Lory cleared his throat. "Very well then. If there's nothing else, I'll let you two go. Get plenty of rest and I'll see you both at LME soon."

Then with a polite farewell, Ren ended the call and flipped his phone shut. None of them had moved after that. Ren continued to stare at his cell, praying that she would say something…_anything_. Her silence was undeniably strange.

But not a single noise came from her lips. Kyoko gazed relentlessly at her ring, watching the color red fade with every beat of her trembling heart. She couldn't find the words to speak. All she wanted at the moment was to close her eyes and forget. Forget everything that happened. Maybe then her pain will subside.

"Mogami-san."

Her heart fluttered from his gentle voice as she instinctively raised her eyes to his. His body was angled towards her and he gazed directly into her eyes. Although the expression upon his face was unreadable, his gaze still softened to its usual warmth as he opened his mouth to speak.

"This past week," he began with a small smile, "has meant more to me than I think you will ever understand. You've done so much for me and the fact that you never once complained is more than I deserve."

Kyoko shook her head in wariness, replying, "Tsuruga-san, you're always giving me too much credit. I haven't done anything for you to be so grateful for. Taking care of you wasn't difficult in the slightest, learning your secret was a privilege on my part, and this rumor only started because of my mistake. There's absolutely nothing for you to thank."

Ren laughed. "Are you always like this, Mogami-san?"

She blinked in confusion.

"Is it so hard for you to accept my gratitude?"

"I just don't want you to be indebted to me," she mumbled.

"But the thing is," Ren countered thoughtfully, "I am. From this current moment, I am indebted to you. I haven't done anything for you at all."

"You have!" she insisted in a voice that was almost pleading.

He smiled, saying, "Anything substantial, I mean."

Kyoko exhaled sharply. "I'm not asking for something in return, Tsuruga-san."

"I know," Ren answered with a wry chuckle. "For the past few years I've known you, Mogami-san, I realize that you will never ask for anything in return. It's not in your nature. You altruistically help others without the expectation that they do something for you. I know that."

He suddenly gazed down at his right hand, staring at the healed scars upon his knuckles.

"But that doesn't mean I can't try," Ren murmured.

He lifted his head. "This is my only chance to repay back what you've done."

Kyoko stared at him, obviously still puzzled. He wasn't making any sense to her at all.

Ren smiled gently. "Mogami-san, whether you started this rumor or not is none of my concern. The only thing I do care about is that you're the one who's getting hurt."

"The insults mean nothing!" Kyoko exclaimed as she shook her head. "They don't bother me at all."

"That's not what I was referring to."

She froze. "Then what are you talking about?"

He sighed heavily. "Forcing you into this position, forcing you to take up the role as my partner, that's the worst thing I could have ever done to you. I feel like I'm using you."

"Tsuruga-san, you're not—!"

Ren reached for her hand and held it in his lap. "I am," he said firmly. "I know I am, Mogami-san. Tell me, in what way have you benefitted from this rumor?"

Kyoko's heart throbbed as she realized that he was waiting for her to answer. This was her moment to confess everything to him. The ring felt incredibly heavy on her finger, as if love refused to let her overlook her feelings. It was pushing her to speak, to tell him exactly what she thought.

But her throat had closed up. The words were on the tip of her tongue, her love for this man was nearly there, but her lips wouldn't move.

Of course, she had benefitted from this rumor. Without it, she would have never realized how blinded she had been. Without it, she would have never gotten the chance to be with him so intimately. Without it, she would have never discovered just how much she loved him.

Yet, why couldn't she say it? Why couldn't she say the words she so desperately wanted to voice? Why couldn't she stop being afraid?

Ren let out a small smile at her stunned silence. "I can fix this, Mogami-san. You don't have to feel compelled anymore. This time, let me do something for you."

Kyoko moved her head from side to side, feeling her heart swell with agitation.

"Don't worry," he continued softly, squeezing her slender hand in his, "I can do this. It will work."

"Tsuruga-san," Kyoko began, frustration quickly rising in her voice, "that's not what I—!"

And in a motion that completely caught her off guard, Ren suddenly pulled her body to his. Kyoko fell silent as she leaned her cheek against his broad shoulder. Ren had one arm wrapped around her slim waist while the other held her hand in his lap. His familiar heartbeats drummed in her ears as she felt her body instinctively relax in his sweet embrace. Kyoko had never wanted to be held by him so much.

He exhaled deeply.

"I promise you that by the end of tomorrow all of this will be over," Ren whispered against her soft hair. "You won't have to lie anymore."

Kyoko shut her eyes. Even in his arms, she could feel her heart slowly starting to crack. His words stabbed into her like knives. She knew that he had no intention to hurt her, that Ren was just speaking his own honest feelings, but it didn't stop her heartache.

The outright rejection ringing in her ears nearly tore her apart. Ren couldn't have made it any clearer. This interview was his chance to put things back to the way they were. Their relationship was never supposed to happen.

But even though she knew that, even though she was more than aware, Kyoko had to ask. It was the last glimmer of hope she had that somehow love wouldn't fail her in the end. So with open eyes, she took in a deep breath and murmured against his chest,

"Do you want to do this interview, Tsuruga-san?"

Ren's eyes widen. That question was as direct at it could possibly get. It didn't waste any time cutting corners. In a sense, it was almost as if Kyoko knew exactly the kind of tumultuous feelings that were roaring inside of him. She was practically dragging them out by the horns.

He could never explain how much wanted to say no. The temptation practically crippled him. If he hadn't practiced so much self-restraint for the past few years, Ren would have given in.

But not this time. For once, Ren was determined to do something right, no matter how painful it would be.

His arm strengthened around her.

"I do," he answered quietly.

Everything screeched a halt. Kyoko's vision blurred as she tried with all her might to hold herself together. She couldn't let him see. She couldn't let him know.

Her heart was beating so erratically now, as if it had no idea of what to do anymore. The pain was overwhelming. Kyoko always thought the second time around would be better. She would have never thought it would actually hurt more. It now felt impossible to pick herself up again. This time, Kyoko felt she was broken for good.

Still, even when hurt, she couldn't help but react to his gentle touch as she felt him lean back and run his fingers across her porcelain cheek. His expression didn't change when he looked into her golden eyes, proving that she was able to mask her pain successfully.

"Everything will be okay, Mogami-san," Ren reassured.

Kyoko didn't reply. She just stared into his brown eyes, hoping that time would stop. She didn't want to feel anything anymore.

"As for tomorrow," he continued in the same voice, "you don't have to come with me. It would probably be best if we weren't seen together. Besides, I think you're long over-due for a break. You should take tomorrow off and rest."

Kyoko forced the corners of her lips to turn upward. She had to act normal. She had to make it seem as if she wasn't affected at all, act like the way she did before.

After tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Ren smoothly got to his feet and stared down at her seated figure. "Once I'm done with the interview, I'll drive you back home as soon as I can. Will that be okay?"

She nodded.

Ren smiled and added, "Then I'll go get ready for tomorrow."

And with one last gaze at her face, he turned around and quietly walked down the hall. Kyoko remained on the black couch, focusing all of her attention on the ragged breaths that were ripping out of her chest. She didn't have the strength to react just yet. At the moment, she couldn't move at all.

When her eyes fell upon the silver ring, her heart thudded painfully. She didn't want to look; she didn't want to see it. But no matter how hard she tried, her eyes wouldn't close. It was as if it was her body's way of telling her that this was wrong, that she couldn't possibly leave everything the way it was.

But the will to do anything had escaped her. Kyoko just didn't have the spirit to fight back.

So with a defeated sigh, she gently removed the ring from her finger and held it in her frail grasp. And with an aching heart, Kyoko kept her eyes on the cool stone, watching the color blue melt away…

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><p>Ren didn't get much sleep. He went in and out of slumber as if his mind couldn't decide on what to do. Although the night felt insanely long, the arrival of the next morning came as a surprise to Ren when he finally noticed the light hazy glow coming through the curtains. He slowly sat up in bed and turned his head to the window.<p>

He let out a long breath. _"What I would do to have everything stop for just a moment,"_ Ren thought tiredly.

But when he glanced at his bedside clock, he noticed that he didn't have time to dwell on his cluttered thoughts. It was already 8:15. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Ren picked up his leaden feet and walked to the bathroom.

His daily routine passed by in a daze. Ren had no idea when he had gotten in the shower or when he had even picked out his clothes. He felt like every single action he performed was mechanical. It was as if he didn't really exist at all. Ren saw his face in the mirror and noticed that all of the color had drained from his face. He clearly needed more rest.

Sighing, Ren closed his eyes.

He had to calm down. This was for the best, for both him and her. He had to give her the choice and the only way to do so was to free her first. Putting her in this rock-hard position wasn't fair to her at all. Ren had to realize that even though everything seemed to be perfect, this was his fantasy and not hers. Kyoko was only fulfilling his wishes.

He, on the other hand, had done nothing for her. Ren had greedily accepted her kindness and affection, completely forgetting that because of him, she was locked in a cage. For the past week, she was not only forced to keep silent about the rumor, but also trapped within his jail.

Yet through it all, she never once frowned or showed any signs of sadness. Kyoko was always smiling, happily caring for him and patiently accepting him for who he was. Her adorable way of bouncing around the kitchen, her gentleness whenever she touched him, and her cheerfulness that lit up the entire condo had saved him in ways he thought would never be possible.

And just when he thought his love for her couldn't grow any larger, Ren suddenly felt a new wave of complete adoration for her. He was now more certain than ever before that Kyoko was the person for him. She meant more to him than anyone and because of that, Ren had to ensure that he would never hurt her.

His eyes opened resolutely.

If there was anything he was going to accomplish today, Ren was going to set things right. This time, he was going to do what _she_ wanted.

After one last look in the mirror, Ren finally walked out of his bedroom. When he stood in the hallway, he realized that her door was still closed. The smell of breakfast and the sounds of pots and pans did not come from the kitchen like regular mornings. Only silence filled the dark-lit condo.

He quietly made his way into the living room and grabbed his car keys on the coffee table. But just when he was about to leave, something shimmered out of the corner of his eye. Ren turned around and spotted Kyoko's mood ring sitting upon the table. The stone was no longer red, but swirled with darkness.

Ren furrowed his eyebrows. _"Why is this out here?"_

But when his eyes fell upon the living room clock, he noticed that it was already 9:00. So deciding to forget about the ring for now, Ren swiftly put on his shoes and turned the front doorknob. Once he was outside, he quietly locked the door and made his way down the carpeted hall.

And there on his right was the hole where his fist had forcefully hit. Ren's eyes hardened at the memory. He couldn't believe that Sho's surprise visit had occurred only a few days ago. It seemed to be so far in the distant past.

"A lot really did happen this past week," he murmured quietly.

Then with a slight shake of his head, Ren continued to the underground garage. When he opened his car door and sat in the driver's seat, the nostalgia of waking up every morning and driving to work hit like a tidal wave. But instead of going straight to Yashiro's, he would be on his own today. Although his manager insisted that he felt better, Ren didn't want him to take the risk. Besides, it would probably be better for his nerves to handle this alone. He needed time to think about what he wanted to say on T.V.

Ren remembered to take in account of what President Lory said about the hosts and figured that no matter how much he planned, he would never be completely ready. Knowing how the entertainment industry worked, it would make a much juicer story if they tore him apart rather than build him up. Ren luckily, was no novice when it came to interviews like this. He just had to tread lightly in order to make certain that his name as well as Kyoko's wouldn't be tarnished.

The drive to JTUV didn't take nearly as long as he thought. He arrived at the station in about 20 minutes. And as soon as he stepped through the glass doors from the back, Ren heard the typical gasps and rapid murmurs of surprise all around him. Routinely falling into his polite façade, he smiled kindly at the people he passed, sending the females into their usual hypnotized trance and the men into a state of awe.

Thankfully, no one bothered to stop him and ask questions, although that was probably because Ren never gave them the chance. He confidently walked forward, not bothering to linger even for a second until he reached the make-up room. He wanted to answer all the questions during the interview and not a single one before.

And after a quick brush-up in the dressing room, Ren was then shown to the lounge that was directly connected to the stage. He was asked to wait there as the crew prepared for the morning show. Patiently waiting in a comfy chair, he crossed his legs and closed his eyes in hopes of getting just a couple more seconds of rest.

But even when he tried to clear his mind, his thoughts kept drifting back to her. Ren couldn't help but wonder what she was doing at home, if she had woken up yet, if she would be watching...

"Tsuruga-san?"

He opened his eyes in alarm and saw a petite young girl standing before him, her back already curved into a slight bow. She looked no older than 18 years old.

Ren smiled. "Yes?" he asked with a voice as smooth as silk.

She flushed scarlet and stammered, "T-t-t-they're ready for you."

"Thank you," he answered as he swiftly got to his feet, realizing that her antics reminded him very much of _her_.

Following the young girl out, Ren made his way out of the lounge and towards the stage. He was only a few feet away from the waiting area when he could already hear the rumble of the crowd. It sounded like a full house.

"Please stand here, Tsuruga-san," she gestured behind the dark blue curtain.

Ren nodded. "Thank you."

Then with one last flustered look at his agonizingly attractive face, she scurried away. Ren stole a quick peek around the curtain and saw to his great surprise the largest audience he had ever seen. The wave of heads and movement looked more like a colony of ants than people, not to mention the loud noise erupting from the stands.

Ren couldn't believe how many people actually showed up. He would have never expected such an intense interest about his personal life. Yashiro was right; if he was to ever have an intimate relationship with anyone, he definitely shouldn't make it public.

"GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMAN!" a female voice suddenly yelled through the speakers.

The floor shook like an earthquake, their screams echoing on full blast.

"HOW'S EVERYONE DOING?"

"AHHHHH!"

She laughed.

"WELL, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT BECAUSE WE HAVE A GREAT SHOW FOR YOU TODAY!" the woman continued over their hysterical cries.

"FOR THIS PAST WEEK, YOU'VE BEEN ASKING ALL THE QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS THAT HAVE REMAINED UNANSWERED! BUT THAT ENDS—RIGHT—NOW!"

The crowd cheered at the top of its lungs!

"THAT'S RIGHT! HE'S HERE, EVERYONE!"

The audience screamed even louder!

"AND FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HIS RELATIONSHIP STARTED, HE'S READY TO DISH OUT ALL THE SECRETS!"

Ren took in a deep breath, feeling the knots in his shoulders stiffen.

"EVERYONE! PLEASE HELP ME IN INTRODUCING THE ONE, THE ONLY…TSURUGA REN!"

Then with that one final sigh, Ren smoothly picked up his feet and stepped onto the brightly lit stage.


	19. Chapter 19: No Turning Back

Hello everyone! Okay, so I don't really know for sure why, but this chapter was really hard to write for me. So I hope I wrote this as well as the others (maybe even better XD). Anyway, thanks again for all the support, and please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>Kyoko distinctly heard when the front door had closed. She had been awake the whole night, her eyes refusing to close. And even though the morning sun had already risen, Kyoko couldn't find the will to get up. After hours of drowning in her misery, she finally felt numb to everything around her and that was exactly how she wanted it.<p>

But after lying in bed for what seemed like days, Kyoko eventually had the strength to climb out from under the covers and open the bedroom door. Her eyes widen as she looked at the scene in front of her. His door was left open, proving that he really did leave. Her heart quivered at the sight of his empty room, but Kyoko refused to dwell. It only made her feel worse.

Swiftly turning her eyes away, she walked to the bathroom and quickly freshened up before she made her way into the kitchen. Kyoko turned on some of the lights, but left mostly everything in the dark. It conveniently reflected her mood. She had to admit that it was eerie being in the condo on her own. In a way, it felt as if she was engulfed by her own loneliness without any hope of ever being saved.

Kyoko didn't have much of an appetite for breakfast. In the end, all she made was a hot cup of coffee and even though it wasn't a healthy start to the day, she didn't have the heart to care. It was all she could stomach anyway. And after standing at the kitchen counter for a while, staring off into space, she eventually made her way into the living room and lowered herself onto the couch.

Kyoko glanced up at the clock. It was 9:58.

The remote was right in front of her. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. The show was going to start soon and Kyoko knew that she should watch. She had to know what he said so that if anyone ever asked her questions, both of their stories would match. But to hear his exact words would only put her back in despair. Kyoko had already suffered the whole night and she was in no condition to go through it again.

The clock ticked by, getting louder with each passing second. And even though everything inside her rejected to watch a single minute of it, Kyoko realized that she didn't have much of a choice. She couldn't miss the interview. President Lory was right; this involved her too. So with a violently trembling hand, she picked up the slim device and turned on the channel.

Kyoko recognized the host that was speaking immediately. Her name was Candace, the same person who spoke that day when Kyoko and Ren were first aware of the rumor. She sighed softly. Everything felt as if it was going in a full circle.

Then absent-mindedly returning the remote back onto the table, Kyoko curled up her knees onto the couch and wrapped her thin arms around her legs, holding the warm cup of coffee in her grasp. She kept her eyes on the glowing screen as she listened to Candace's familiar voice excite the crowd.

"THAT'S RIGHT! HE'S HERE EVERYONE!"

The screams were incredible. Kyoko could only fathom how loud it actually sounded. Everyone seemed to be screaming at the top of their lungs.

"AND FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HIS RELATIONSHIP STARTED, HE'S READY TO DISH OUT ALL THE SECRETS!"

Kyoko's grip tightened. Her heart was beating in overtime by now.

"EVERYONE! PLEASE HELP ME IN INTRODUCING THE ONE, THE ONLY…TSURUGA REN!"

She stopped breathing as soon as the camera flashed to him. Kyoko watched in awe as he gracefully walked across the stage with that serene smile he so carefully rehearsed. His silky hair was combed back, revealing every contour of his face. He donned a grey suit, with trousers that clearly accentuated his long legs and an unbuttoned blazer that covered a maroon-collared shirt underneath. He looked impeccable and from the sounds of the crowd, they all agreed.

When he approached center-stage, Ren sat upon the white couch that was angled towards the audience. Candace had already taken the silver stool across from him while Kim, the other host, sat on the stool beside her. The girls had a gleaming smile upon their faces, proving just how excited they were.

"Good morning, Ren-kun," Kim greeted enthusiastically as the screams subsided. "And may I just say you look _dashing _today, as always."

Ren chuckled, bowing his head humbly. "Thank you, Kim. As do you."

Her smile grew more pronounced. It was obvious how much she enjoyed his compliment and the sound of her name spoken from his lips.

"Well, we first want to thank you for coming out today, Ren-kun. It feels it has been forever since the last time we saw your face," Candace noted with a look that was both calculative and mischievous. Her comment was clearly double-edged.

Kim nodded. "I think I speak on behalf of everyone in here that we were getting sort of suspicious," she added with a wink.

The ladies shouted their approval.

Laughing, Ren replied calmly, "I can tell. People have become quite opinionated about my life recently."

Kyoko noticed it in an instant. Even though she was sitting miles away, she could still feel it—that subtle aura of coolness that chilled when someone got too close. She knew this personality of his well. It was his way of rising to a challenge without being too direct. The hosts couldn't break him even if they tried. Ren maintained the perfect amount of composure, yet at the same time emitted a sense of playfulness that enticed his fans. He was practically indestructible.

"Can you blame them though, Ren-kun?" Candace teased with a wag of her finger. "For this past week, we've received no answers at all. Of course we would have our thoughts."

Ren smiled. "As you all should," he agreed gently, "so please accept my sincere apology for not explaining myself sooner."

That did it. The audience was completely won over as their cries increased in volume. Ren had clearly made the right choice. He wisely submitted himself to his mistake instead of responding to her question defensively, making it nearly impossible for anyone to judge him in a critical way. Without any effort at all, Ren had everyone eating out of his hands.

Kim shook her head with a giggle at the ear-piercing screams. "Sounds like you're forgiven."

He only laughed in reply.

"Then let's get straight to it shall we?" Candace started in a casual tone, crossing her slim legs. "We're all dying to know, Ren-kun."

Kyoko's heart stuttered. The sudden wave of tension could be literally cut with a knife as everyone waited with abated breath. The only person who didn't seem affected at all was him.

Kim grinned. "Mogami Kyoko," she said with a slight drawl, enunciating every syllable. "However did you two get started?"

"Now don't get us wrong," Candace piped in before he could speak. "There's nothing wrong with her at all. But we might as well accept the fact that we're all incredibly surprised. After all, the fact that you both went public seems a little bit out of the blue, doesn't it, Ren-kun?"

And to their great surprise, the expression upon his face suddenly softened to a warmth that not many had experienced. Women were practically swooning at the sight of it.

Candace and Kim stared at him with wide eyes. His reaction was definitely unexpected.

Then with a small smile at the corners of his lips, Ren began in a smooth voice, "Before I say anything, I first want to thank you both for having me here."

"Not at all, Ren-kun!" they answered simultaneously. The look upon his angelic face was doing wonders on their heart.

He smiled in return before addressing the darkened crowd,

"And of course the audience, for taking time out of their busy schedule to come all the way here to listen to what I have to say."

A couple of people shouted his name in support.

Ren bowed his head with a kind smile. "This past week has been nothing short of a rollercoaster for me. If I had to sum it all up in one word I would probably have to use hectic. My head nearly reels from just the thought of it."

The silence stretched on as every person in the stands focused intently on his words. Even Kyoko was rooted to the spot just by the tone of his voice. It was both soothing and commanding, making it impossible to ignore him.

"I know that while the media has been formulating its own theories about my personal life, I have done nothing to confirm or reject anything that has been said or claimed, and that has been a mistake on my part. I should have dealt with this from the beginning before it grew to such a large extent."

Murmurs started to bubble up by now. Perplexity was practically rippling through the crowd. Nobody, not even the hosts, had any idea where he was going with this—all except for one.

Ren sighed, continuing in a faint voice, "I sincerely believed that by keeping silent, the story would eventually fade. I would have never thought it would actually add more fuel to the flames. It surprised me even more of how passionate people reacted to the rumor."

Candace's and Kim's eyes widen.

"_Rumor?"_

"So to answer your previous question, Kim," he murmured thoughtfully, "when did she and I start? That's simple. We didn't."

The stiffness shattered like glass. The rumble from the crowd didn't grow in noise, but instead blew up like a bomb. Everyone was stunned. Even Candace and Kim couldn't hold back their gasps of surprise. It was clear that no one could have seen this coming.

Kyoko, however, only leaned her chin upon her knees, feeling her heartbeats slow with each catching breath. The camera stayed upon his face. He seemed to be completely lost in thought. His head wasn't lowered in any way, but his focus remained on his hands that were clasped together. Ren didn't react to the uproar at all.

"Ren-kun," Kim said in a voice that shook with incredulity, "what do you mean it's a rumor? You can't be serious."

He raised his gaze. "And why do you say that?"

"Because!" Candace shouted with a flail of her hand. "This is just too sudden!"

Ren smiled. "Candace, didn't you yourself say how unexpected this was?"

She spluttered incoherent noises, helplessly turning to Kim for aid. The hosts were flabbergasted. The audience, nonetheless, kept their alarm to a minimum. They clearly wanted an explanation.

"But the evidence! Everything we have collected this past week proved that you and Kyoko were highly plausible!" Kim insisted.

Ren blinked in surprise.

"That's right!" Candace agreed excitedly at his silence. "You can't expect us all to believe this without questioning you, do you Ren-kun?"

The crowd turned their attention to the actor who obviously looked startled. Kyoko nearly choked on her hot coffee when those words left Kim's lips. What in the world did she mean by evidence?

Kim held up her hand as she counted off her fingers, "We interviewed your co-stars, the assistants at LME, and even your friends from the set of Dark Moon. Nearly everyone agreed that you and Kyoko are close!"

"Not to mention the fact," Candace added in a pitchy voice, "when asked about how you two interact, countless of people have said it was obvious that you both had an affinity towards each other and that you appeared to be more than just friends!"

"So to put it simply, your relationship was to be expected!"

Ren was floored.

"I'm confused," he admitted with a shake of his head. "I thought everyone believed that my relationship with her was unexpected. When did that change?"

"After the interviews, of course!" Kim said exasperatedly. "Of course we were caught off guard in the beginning, but now that we know how it _really_ is between you two, now we're just curious!"

Candace nodded in agreement.

Ren by now had no idea what to say. Even though this didn't change the truth in the slightest, he had to admit that he was surprised. No wonder they refused to accept it as easily as President Lory had predicted. They clearly did their homework. And of course, Ren knew exactly what kind of "evidence" they were talking about, but their proof was slightly misconstrued.

It wasn't that Kyoko and Ren had an affinity towards each other. It was Ren who had an affinity towards her. He was the one acted as if they were more than friends. It was and always had been Ren.

Back at home, Kyoko was paralyzed from head to toe. Her heart had stopped dead in her chest as she came to the realization that it wasn't just the people closest to her who had known. Yashiro, Maria, and Kanae weren't the only ones who knew about her feelings. If what Candace and Kim said was true than it was practically everyone! She dropped her head into her hands in horror. How many had seen this coming? How many had seen just how much she loved him? Had she always been this blind?

But before she could linger on that thought, Ren's voice replied from the screen, "You're right. I won't deny that I treat Mogami-san differently."

"Mogami-san?" Kim mouthed to Candace. That was certainly not the name they were expecting.

"We've done numerous projects together and through them all, I grew a lot closer to her," he continued as if he was uninterrupted. "However, she and I have never once been in an intimate relationship with each other, despite what people have assumed. Our association with one another so far has strictly been professional."

Candace furrowed her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Really."

"But if that's true," Kim began slowly, "why didn't you say so in the first place?"

"Yes, Ren-kun, why didn't you? Why wait a week to clear this up?" Candace added. "By waiting so long, wouldn't that just exacerbate the situation?"

Ren sighed heavily and leaned onto his knees. "It definitely wasn't the best choice, but there's a good reason for that too. Believe me, if I could have stopped this from the start, I would have. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the right…_state_ to do so."

Kim and Candace arched an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

Breathing in deeply, he confessed in a small voice, "For the past week, I had been recovering from a case of the chickenpox."

Everyone's jaw dropped open in shock. To think that the greatest actor in Japan suffered from something so common was almost unbelievable. Ren didn't seem like the type to get sick at all. It just didn't fit his perfect image. If anything, this seemed more like a practical joke than the truth. All of his reasons sounded too convenient.

"Chickenpox, Ren-kun?" Candace asked skeptically. "You can't be serious."

Ren laughed. "Trust me, I denied it myself until I saw the many dots that popped up on my arm."

"But isn't chickenpox a child's sickness?" Kim inquired in a doubtful tone, clearly unconvinced.

"Is it? Then I guess I have more to be ashamed of than I thought," he answered with a sheepish smile.

The audience chuckled. That little splash of humor at the end did just the trick to lighten up the mood. It was obvious that people were sitting on edge and to hear his teasing tone was enough to help them relax.

And after a slight smile at his comment, Candace suddenly frowned and asked, "So that was what kept you out of the public eye this entire time?"

Ren nodded. "I couldn't take the risk."

"Then what about Kyoko?" Kim demanded as if she refused to let him get away so easily. "Did she have the chickenpox as well?"

Ren raised an eyebrow and replied reluctantly, "No, she didn't."

"Then what is her reason for not telling us?" Candace said harshly with her arms crossed. "If this truly is a rumor, Ren-kun, why didn't Kyoko just fix this on her own?"

Instinctively, Kyoko lowered her head in shame. Even though she perfectly knew why she didn't deal with this problem from the start, it didn't stop the feeling of complete uselessness from coursing through her veins. They were right; she should have done something herself.

Ren chuckled wryly. "Would you believe her if she tried?"

They didn't respond.

"If you both have a hard time believing me, I doubt you would have believed her."

The crowd murmured their agreement.

"Even so," Kim replied with a huff, "she could have tried. Remaining silent only reinforced our beliefs, didn't it?"

Ren shook his head. "I'm sure if Mogami-san had it her way, she would have dealt with this as soon as the rumor aired. But out of respect for my wishes, she allowed me to handle the situation instead."

Candace turned her head to the side in curiosity, asking, "Why only you?"

"We both figured it would be easier if it was just me who explained."

Kim clicked her tongue thoughtfully and said, "So I'm assuming that that is the reason for why she isn't here either?"

"Mogami-san is very considerate so I asked her to entrust everything to me," he replied in a patient voice.

"Sounds like Kyoko cares very much about what _you_ want, Ren-kun," Candace pressed with a smirk.

"I agree," Kim said, nodding vigorously. "That doesn't sound anything like friends to me."

Kyoko leaned her head back against the couch, feeling more tired than ever before. The more people saw through her defenses, the more pathetic she felt. Even complete strangers suspected her love for him. She couldn't have sunk any lower.

Ren, however, was unfazed. He barely reacted to their risky comment at all. He just answered in a quiet tone, "Is it not in the nature of friends to be considerate of each other?"

Kim and Candace clamped their mouths shut. They had no idea why, but it felt as if he had just basically told them to back off. He never once raised his voice or said anything remotely rude, yet in a polite way, it felt like he had closed the subject completely.

So with a hasty wave of her hand, Kim said in hopes of appeasing the actor, "Of course it is, Ren-kun! We're just saying that she seems to worry about you a lot. That's all!"

He chuckled lightly. "Well considering she's not here, I can't answer that question for her. But if that was true, then I'm incredibly grateful."

Kyoko cracked a small smile. This guy had the best poise she had ever seen. There was just no way he was going to crumble from pressure. He had everything under control.

But then, in an oddly quiet voice, Candace suddenly asked, "Ren-kun, are you really sure about this? Is it truly JUST a rumor?"

"Or are you just trying to keep your relationship private?" Kim added.

And to everyone's great surprise, Ren didn't answer immediately like they thought he would. So far, he seemed to be in complete control of the interview, but for the first time since he came there, he actually looked stumped. In fact, Ren took a very long pause, as if he was debating on what to say. Kyoko nearly had a stroke while she waited for him to respond.

"_Why wasn't he speaking?"_

"Ren-kun?" Kim murmured.

At the sound of her concerned voice, he slowly raised his eyes to hers. Then in a tone that was strangely hard, he replied, "I would never lie about my relationship with someone."

The room instantly stiffened. That was a side of Ren not many had the chance to see. Some would say he looked quite intimidating.

Kyoko, on the other hand, didn't pay much attention to that. The numbness she had longed for was now slowly ebbing away as the pain returned. His words weren't as direct as last night's, but they were just as hurtful. She could hear his rejection so blatantly now. There was no longer any room for confusion.

Ren said it himself: if there was nothing going on, then there truly was nothing. And it was only stupid of her to even hope.

Then slowly rising to her feet, Kyoko turned her eyes away from the screen. She didn't want to see his face for the moment. She couldn't even bear to hear his voice. But at the same time, the will to turn off the television had escaped her. Kyoko couldn't get herself to do it.

"So, I guess that's it then," Candace said with a shrug of her shoulders. "We were wrong."

"You and Kyoko really aren't in a relationship," Kim confirmed.

Ren shook his head. "No, we're not."

Kyoko held the empty mug by the handle as she walked back towards the kitchen. The interview was going to be over soon, so there really was no need to watch anymore. Besides, another second of this would probably just tear her into shreds.

"Then, please accept our apology, Ren-kun. We sort of jumped to hasty conclusions, didn't we?"

"I guess we should have heard what you said first before we claimed anything."

"But now that you made everything clear, there shouldn't be any more mix-ups."

"That's right. We got it now. You guys aren't together."

"And you don't have feelings for her, so—"

"That's not what I said."

Kyoko stopped.

Everything in her body froze to a standstill.

Her breath was suddenly lodged in the middle of her throat as recognition rained down like a storm. That voice didn't belong to either Candace or Kim. It wasn't a female voice at all. There was no way to deny it. That voice was his.

She knew that it had to be her ears failing on her. She must have heard wrong. But that didn't stop Kyoko from glancing over her shoulder to stare at the glowing screen, her heart already on the verge of hoping.

The silence was heavy. No one moved an inch. All they could do was stare at the stage in utter disbelief.

"I-I-I-I-I'm sorry, Ren-kun?" Candace finally managed to stammer. "What did you say?"

Ren smiled gently. "You misheard me, Candace. I never said I didn't have feelings for her."

Rumbling rose from the crowd, like a volcano just about ready to burst.

Kim, who was clearly caught off guard, gawked at him with wide eyes, stuttering, "But—but—but! Didn't you just say you weren't in a relationship with her? Aren't you the one who said you two were only friends?"

"Yes, I did say that and all of that is true. We're not together…"

His eyes suddenly softened.

"…but I never once said I didn't want to be."

Kyoko backed up against the wall, her knees threatening to give out on her. This wasn't happening. She must have blacked out and was now conjuring up her own delusions. There was no way he was saying all of this. Kyoko had to be dreaming.

"You—_want_ to be with her?" Candace asked incredulously.

And that was when it happened. It was as if her words had finally broken through his shield. The look that was on his face had never been seen by anyone until now. His expression was filled with such warmth and tenderness that it was nearly impossible to believe. Ren had every woman paralyzed with shock. To know that someone could elicit such an expression from him made everyone in the stadium nearly die with envy.

Kyoko couldn't take her eyes off of him. Unlike everyone else, she had seen this look of his before. It was the same gaze that constricted her lungs, that made her hands tremble violently, that had her heartbeat increase in speed.

And with frozen eyes, she watched his lips curve into that angelic smile and whisper, "I want her more than anything."

The empty mug slipped out of Kyoko's grasp.

"Oh my god!" Kim gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth as the crowd erupted into blood-curling screams.

The shouts were louder than ever before. None of them made any sense. It was just an outburst of noise. The entire stadium was filled with yells of surprise, joy, disbelief, and outright confusion. The uproar nearly shook the stage, but no one seemed to care. Not one person could take their eyes off of the man who had just confessed his honest feelings on national television.

"REN-KUN!" Candace yelled over the clamor. "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING THEN?"

Ren met her clearly shocked expression with sincere-ridden eyes. There wasn't a single trace of anxiety or fear. It was as if he had his heart set on this from the start. And in a barely audible murmur, Ren replied in a husky voice:

"I love her."


	20. Chapter 20: Crimson Words

HI EVERYONE! So I can't thank you all enough for the hilarious and encouraging reviews. You guys really helped me to write and because of your awesome support, I was able to update sooner. LOL. Of course, I always hope that this chapter is good. It always worries me when I update a new one, but I'll keep my fingers crossed. Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>"REN, ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?" Yashiro shouted through the receiver.<p>

Ren, however, didn't reply. In fact, he barely even cringed at the sound of his friend's biting tone as he tiredly draped an arm over his eyes. After the shocking interview, he was quickly shown to his dressing room, hidden from his currently frenzied fans. And once Ren had time to himself, he assumed he could finally focus all of his efforts on trying to collect his now chaotic thoughts. But before he could even seat himself properly down onto a chair, a frantic Yashiro had already called him on his cell.

"I know," Ren eventually answered in a quiet voice. "It wasn't my best decision."

"Best?" Yashiro repeated incredulously. "That was insane, Ren! Although I applaud you for finally expressing your true feelings, did it have to be on national television? COULDN'T IT HAVE WAITED?"

He leaned over onto his knees, murmuring, "I did as you said, didn't I? I didn't think for once. I just acted."

Yashiro growled. "Out of all times to listen to me, you choose _today_ to follow my advice?"

Ren didn't know what to say. He knew his friend was right. Saying that on television was highly irresponsible of him. It was only going to stir up more trouble—for both him and her. But when Candace and Kim assumed that he didn't care about her, Ren couldn't bear to just sit idly by and let them say what they wanted, especially when it was so absurd. The words just spilled out of his mouth.

"I couldn't lie," he whispered guiltily into his phone. "If I didn't say anything, everyone would have gotten the wrong idea and that was the last thing I wanted. Besides, wasn't the sole purpose of the interview to clear any misunderstandings?"

Yashiro sighed heavily. "You do realize what you're doing, right? You're trying to justify your choice," he said sternly.

"But am I wrong?"

He groaned in defeat, answering, "No, not wrong, but it blew any chance you had for a private relationship."

"And what makes you think I'll have a relationship after this?" Ren asked in a faint voice.

If he was going to be completely honest with himself, the last thing he was concerned about was how the people of Japan reacted to his confession. The only thing that was on his mind was her. Ren felt nervous beyond comprehension. Although he had no idea if she had watched the interview at all, he couldn't stop the violent shaking of his hands. His heart was beating so sporadically in his chest that he was sure it was going to give out on him in any second.

"Ren," Yashiro chided softly at his saddened tone, "have a little confidence, will you? That kind of attitude won't do you any good."

But before he could answer, a knock suddenly came upon his door. Ren raised his head and when the door opened just a crack, he realized it was the young girl from before. She smiled timidly and said, "Tsuruga-san, are you ready?"

He nodded. "I am."

"Ready for what?" Yashiro asked suspiciously from the other end.

And right when the girl had closed the door, Ren said into the receiver, "To go home."

"NOW?" Yashiro exclaimed in disbelief, his harsh tone coming back. "Ren, you can't be serious! Do you not understand the severity of this problem at all? The press must be lining outside the company doors by now! You'd be jumping into a pool of sharks if you leave!"

"Yashiro, I don't have a choice," he said in an equally firm voice as he stood up and grabbed his car keys on the table. "I need to get back."

"And why are you so anxious to go?"

Ren exhaled deeply. "Because I'm hoping with all my might that she didn't leave yet."

Yashiro stopped. He wasn't expecting that answer at all. "Kyoko-chan is still at your place?"

"Possibly," he murmured, obviously unsure. "That's why I have to leave now. I need to explain myself properly to her."

"I understand that Ren, but you can't just—!"

"Tsuruga-san?"

Ren turned his attention to the sound of a male voice behind the door, smoothly reaching for the bronze doorknob and giving it a quick turn. When the door swung open, it revealed none other than the head of JTUV security who had a reassuring smile upon his lips. Then with a low bow of his head, he stated, "I will accompany you out, sir."

He smiled gratefully. "Thank you. I'll leave everything to you."

Then turning his attention back to the phone in his hand, Ren said to his friend, "I have to go now, Yashiro. I'll call you back as soon as I can."

"Ren—!"

But he didn't catch the last part of his sentence. Ren had already flipped his phone shut and followed the middle-aged man out of the room. From the safety of the station, it seemed like everything was normal. Although it did appear a little emptier than usual, there wasn't anything that struck him as too peculiar. Ren almost had this fleeting hope that maybe no one really cared about what he said.

WRONG.

DEAD WRONG.

And Ren didn't realize just how wrong he was until he reached the main lobby. The glass windows were practically covered with people. He barely had time to compose his face before Ren was bombarded with hysteric screams. Fans, reporters, and camera-crews had spotted him as soon as he stepped out of the elevator.

The sounds were muffled from the inside, but from the looks upon their faces, Ren knew that they were shouting with all their might. He had never seen people so desperate to speak to him.

"Tsuruga-san, we can't possibly allow you to drive home at this time," the head-guard informed him. "It would be too dangerous so a taxi was called for you. Unfortunately, the underground garage is blocked by paparazzi vans which make it impossible to leave from the back. Therefore, the cab will be parked out front and we'll escort you."

Ren nodded. "I understand."

Then with one deep breath, he bravely approached the glass doors and saw to his great alarm that they were shaking from all the weight pressed against them. They looked as if they were about to crack. Swiftly, a line of guards surrounded Ren, creating a human barricade. And when both doors were pushed open, Ren couldn't believe the sounds that hit him. The noise was unbelievable. It sounded as if he had just stepped right into the middle of a metal concert with bright lights flashing all around him.

"TSURUGA-SAN! GIVE US A COMMENT!"

"ARE YOU REALLY IN LOVE WITH KYOKO?"

"TSURUGA-KUN! LOOK HERE!"

"REN, DID YOU PLAN THIS FROM THE START?"

"WHY NOW?"

"WHERE'S KYOKO? DOES SHE KNOW?"

"GIVE US A PICTURE!"

"WAIT, REN-SAMA!"

Ren ignored all their cries. He didn't have time to answer their questions. He had to get home as soon as possible, but it was like trying to push through miles of snow. There was no way to get out, even with the guards forcing everybody back. They all wanted a piece of him. But Ren refused to give up so easily. He continued to cling to the weak hope that she would be waiting for him. It was his last wish. After this, he swore that he wouldn't ask for anything else. All he wanted was to see her.

And just when it seemed like everyone was getting only more excited, a loud gasp suddenly came from the crowd.

Ren's head sprang up in panic. _"Did someone get hurt?"_

"WHOA! WHOA! MOVE BACK!"

"WHAT'S GOING ON?"

"LOOK!"

"OVER THERE! GET A PICTURE!"

"OPEN UP SOME ROOM!"

"HURRY UP!"

He had no idea what was going on. It was just a flurry of blatant alarm. But right before his eyes, the crowd was unexpectedly dividing in half. They created this long, empty aisle straight down the middle. At first Ren couldn't see anything at all, except for the blue caps of the guards who were shielding him. Then, as if someone had turned off the volume, the clamor just stopped.

Ren didn't get it. What in the world was happening?

But before a single sound could escape his lips, the guards in front of him had suddenly moved off to the side in stunned silence, freeing his line of vision. And when his eyes finally focused, his heart thudded to a halt.

He couldn't believe it. If he had to guess, Ren would have thought he lost conscious from exhaustion. But there was no way to deny that what he was seeing was real. Although everything in his head rejected it, the picture didn't fade. Ren couldn't even close his eyes.

She stood only a few feet away. Her chest was rapidly moving up and down as if she had sprinted the whole way here. She wasn't even wearing proper clothes. She was standing in the midst of nearly hundreds of people and cameras in nothing but her bright, pink LoveMe pajamas. But it was the look upon her face that caught Ren off guard.

Kyoko was almost unrecognizable.

Her amber eyes glowed like fire, burning straight into his skin. Her hands were clenched tightly at her sides, but when examined closer they were shaking intensely. She looked like she had barely enough strength to stand. But even when she was clearly struggling, her stance never once wavered. Kyoko just stared directly at him.

Ren's mind went blank. He should have said something. He should have at least moved, but his body remained frozen to the spot. He couldn't do anything at all.

Suddenly, with a quiet breath, she murmured in a trembling voice, "You're wrong."

His body tensed. This was it. She was going to shoot him down—right here, right now, for the entire world to see.

But instead of continuing to look into his eyes, Kyoko surprisingly dropped her gaze and whispered quietly, "Everything you said about me was wrong."

Ren froze, confusion coloring his face.

"All these years you thought you knew me, when in fact you really didn't. You say I'm considerate, but you don't understand how hideously selfish I am," she confessed, her voice cracking by the end.

He had no idea what she was talking about. Nothing was making sense. All he understood was that she was hurting. Ren could see how much it took out of her to say this. She seemed to be on the verge of falling apart. The need to suddenly hold her was practically killing him from the inside.

"For the longest time, I took everything you gave me for granted," Kyoko admitted softly. "I accepted your kindness without ever once thinking about you. All that mattered was me."

Her breath shook. "I'm nothing like you think I am. I'm greedy, I'm a liar, and what's worse I'm a coward."

Ren instinctively stumbled forward to stop her, but Kyoko firmly shook her head. He fell still as his heart painfully split in two. This was more agonizing than he could ever believe. Her words were so sharp, but the oddest thing about them was that they weren't directed at him. The expression upon her face was tearing him to shreds. Why was she saying all this?

"Even when I knew," Kyoko whispered, "even when I knew how I felt about you, I still couldn't say a word. I've never been honest with you from the start. "

The people around the couple didn't even dare to breathe. They had no clue what was going on, but the atmosphere was stifling. It felt as if the silence was weighing right upon their shoulders.

"Only now, only when I knew for sure, can I finally get the courage to look at you and say you mean more to me than anyone."

Ren's eyes widen.

"But don't you see how calculative I am?" she whispered tearfully. "I'm not selfless at all. I only did what was best for me."

Kyoko lowered her eyes in shame, bringing her slender hands together to the front of her body. She wasn't aware of anything around her by then—not the many pair of eyes that were glued upon her face or the heavy silence that seemed to swallow her up whole. All Kyoko could sense was the man standing before her. Even when she had already made her decision to tell him, she could still feel the fear rising in her throat. It was almost too painful to endure.

But she couldn't run. For the first time in what felt like forever, Kyoko refused to let anxiety stop her from doing what was right. She had to do this. There was no other way.

Then in a breaking voice, Kyoko murmured, "So after knowing all of that, can you honestly say you still love me?"

When the words left her lips, she could feel her heart throb mercilessly in anticipation. She didn't have the nerve to look at him. Kyoko was so afraid of what she might see. It was time that he knew and understood exactly who she was. She was done lying to him.

But just when it seemed like all hope was lost, Kyoko suddenly heard it: a footstep.

She automatically raised her head at the sound and felt her throat close up in an instant. Ren was staring at no one else but her. His gaze was overwhelming as he continued to walk forward. Kyoko gazed helplessly into his eyes and saw them flicker with emotion, but the movement was too fast to say exactly what it was she saw. Ren didn't say a word as he slowly closed the distance between them, his quiet steps thudding against the pavement. He kept his eyes firmly locked onto hers.

And just when they were barely a foot apart, he raised a hand to her face. She could see his usually steady hand quiver right before her eyes. It was almost as if Ren had lost all sense of composure. As soon as his fingers brushed against her porcelain skin, Kyoko's vision blurred, the welled-up tears finally spilling over.

Ren could never describe the intense feelings that were roaring within him. They were too frantic to sort out. He only noticed Kyoko's body trembling at his touch and her tears upon his fingertips. There was now absolutely no indecision in what he wanted to do. Ren had known as soon as he laid eyes on her. So swiftly wrapping an arm around her slim torso, Ren pulled Kyoko straight to his body and brought his lips down to hers.

Kyoko's gasp was barely audible as the crowd roared to life, her heart exploding into a million tiny pieces. Everything inside of her burst into scorching, white flames. His lips gently moved against hers, knocking her breathless. The one hand he had on her face tenderly cupped her flushed cheek while his other arm strengthened around her. And when her legs eventually gave out, Ren only held her closer.

Even though she had never felt anything like this before in her life, Kyoko couldn't stop the certainty of knowing that this was right from flowing through her veins. For the longest time, she had been unknowingly yearning for his embrace, his warmth, and his kiss. And with some kind of miracle, she now had them all. Kyoko's feelings were overflowing as she gave up every part of herself to him, willingly drowning in his touch.

Ren didn't even realize that the people around him were cheering with everything they had. He wasn't even aware of the flashing lights. His attention was solely focused on the beautiful girl in his arms, sweetly responding to his kiss. If somehow the world was to end right at that moment, Ren wouldn't have complained. To know that the love of his life returned even a tiny sliver of his own feelings was more than enough for him. He never wanted anything more than this. She was all he needed.

When the need for air surfaced, the two slowly released each other. Kyoko's breath caught as she found herself staring into his gentle brown eyes once more. Although she had already fallen over the edge, it didn't stop her heart from soaring as she heard him answer in the softest voice,

"I will always love you."

Her tears wouldn't stop by now. Even when Ren tenderly pulled her lips back to his, Kyoko couldn't stop them from streaming down her face. The kiss was electrifying, sending shivers down both of their spines while the crowd continued to scream with happiness.

As time started to move again, Ren smoothly leaned back and caressed her silky skin. And feeling his heart swell at her tender smile, he bravely picked her up and spun her around in circles. The laugh that escaped from Kyoko's lips was both sweet and natural. Her fiery eyes shimmered in the dazzling sunlight as she slowly lowered her forehead to his.

And with their feelings finally met, they murmured among the joyful shouts,

"I love you."

* * *

><p>If anyone had ever told Kyoko that life could look more beautiful than she ever imagined, she would have ignored every single word of it. For her, life wasn't necessarily beautiful, but more like an exam, constantly testing her to see if she was strong enough to make it through to the end.<p>

But that was Kyoko in the past, someone who thought happily-ever-after's only existed in fairytales and that miracles were nothing more but wistful wishes. So as she continued on her stroll through the familiar white hallways of LME, Kyoko couldn't deny the feeling that everything around her seemed to glisten like stars, as if they were all suddenly remade anew. It seemed like the workings of her mind had drastically changed.

After that fateful day in front of JTUV, Kyoko had been walking on nothing but air. The tiny bounce in her step and the permanent smile upon her lips were clear signs that she had never been happier. Days whizzed by like a rocket and every time she hoped for the chance to just sit back and take everything in, she would suddenly be whisked off of her feet on pure thrill and elation once again.

Yet, even with all that had happened, Kyoko readily returned back to her semi-normal life, realizing she missed acting more than she thought. Of course, normal was hard to achieve since she was now tailed by reporters and paparazzi every day. But even though tiresome, she had already gotten used to it.

And now after a hard day's work, she was more than ready to leave. Kyoko had already planned to make a quick run to the market to pick up some groceries for dinner with his favorite meal in mind.

However, just as soon as she reached the almost empty lobby, Kyoko spotted a young girl in a yellow dress, skipping toward the front doors. Recognizing her immediately, she quickly stepped off the elevator and yelled, "MARIA-CHAN!"

She whipped her head around at the sound of her name and after spotting her favorite sister, Maria's lips curved into a wide smile. "Hi Onee-sama!" she waved eagerly in greeting.

Swiftly walking up to her, Kyoko kneeled down upon her knees and gave her a quick hug. "It's been a while since the last time I saw you."

She giggled. "Well, from what I've seen on T.V, you've been really busy lately."

Kyoko smiled sheepishly and replied, "You shouldn't believe everything they say, Maria-chan. They're not always right."

Maria grinned. "But sometimes they are."

Kyoko's cheeks flushed scarlet, unable to provide any kind of response.

Laughing at her shy reaction, Maria suddenly wrapped her arms around Kyoko's neck and murmured, "I'm really happy for you, Onee-sama."

Kyoko smiled tenderly. "Well, I couldn't have done it without your help," she answered, returning her sweet embrace.

Maria took a tiny step back and furrowed her eyebrows. "My help?"

She nodded and raised her slender hand, gesturing to the crimson ring on her finger. "It's because of you I finally figured it all out. So thank you for everything."

"You wore it!" Maria exclaimed excitedly, touching the familiar stone with her fingertips. "And it's red, just like I thought!"

"Exactly," Kyoko said. Then with a small smile, she continued in a thoughtful voice, "I can't believe something so small made such a big change," this time not only speaking of the ring.

Maria laughed. "Mood rings sure are useful, aren't they, Onee-sama?" she asked with a playful smirk.

Kyoko nodded with ease, replying, "They are. And that's why—"

She slipped the silver-banded ring off of her finger.

"—I'm returning this to you."

Maria's eyes suddenly widen as Kyoko reached for her tiny hand and placed the ring in her palm. And in a clearly puzzled voice, she asked, "But I thought you said it helped?"

"It did," Kyoko answered honestly. "It helped a lot."

"Then why are you giving it back to me?"

And right before her eyes, Maria watched in amazement as Kyoko's gaze softened and heard her murmur under her breath, "Because I'm not confused anymore."

"Confused about what?"

Maria and Kyoko immediately jumped in surprise as they raised their head towards the gentle voice. Kneeling beneath his looming shadow, both girls smiled warmly up at him in greeting as soon as their eyes met. Ren then smoothly crouched down upon his calves beside Kyoko and placed a tiny kiss upon her temple. She blushed profusely.

"Hi Ren-sama!" Maria said in glee, smiling widely at his charming action.

He reached over and rubbed his thumb across her delicate cheek, replying with a dazzling smile, "Hello Maria. What are you girls doing on the floor? And what's all this talk about confusion?"

Kyoko firmly shook her head and leaned against his broad shoulder. "There's no confusion," she said with a sigh.

Ren instinctively placed his cheek against her smooth hair, but all the while narrowed his eyes in suspicion at her vague response.

"Really?"

But before any of them could answer, his eyes suddenly fell upon the ring in Maria's outstretched hand. Ren raised his head in recognition and pointed at the ring, asking, "Isn't that your mood ring, Kyoko?"

Feeling her skin instantly heat up at the sound of her name, Kyoko answered in a slightly shaky voice, "It is. I'm finally returning it to Maria-chan."

"But it's not red anymore," he stated at the now darkened stone. "I thought you said it was broken."

"Broken?" Maria repeated in surprise. "Why would—?"

She grinned widely, understanding without even having to ask. Then with eyes that twinkled with blatant laughter, she stated with a raised eyebrow, "You actually believed her, Ren-sama?"

His eyes widen at her amused expression. "What are you talking about?"

Kyoko quickly averted her gaze while Maria asked, "Ren-sama, do you know what red means?"

Ren shook his head.

Her smile broadened as she said, "LOVE."

His eyes instantly turned to Kyoko who was conveniently looking in the other direction. Ren couldn't believe it. He felt as if someone had just punched him straight in the gut as the memory of the red ring upon his thumb came flooding back. If what Maria said was true, then he had confessed his feelings long before without even realizing it...

Kyoko reluctantly turned to him with a guilty expression. "I told you I was a liar, didn't I?"

Maria giggled at Ren's shocked look. He looked absolutely dumbfounded. So deciding to give them some privacy, she stepped back and said with a large smile, "Well, I'll let you and Onee-sama figure that out on your own. I'm sure you both have a lot to talk about. And besides, Grandfather wants to go home early tonight. His favorite romantic comedy is premiering. So I'll see you both tomorrow!"

Then with one last quick hug for the both of them, Maria bounded out of the building, giggling along the way. Kyoko however didn't move; she was still very fearful that Ren might be angry with her. But in a smooth motion, she suddenly felt him reach for her slender hand and pull her to her feet. He routinely placed both of his hands upon her waist as he held her within his arms.

Kyoko let out a tiny smile, linking her hands behind his back. "Does this mean I'm forgiven?" she murmured against his smooth shirt.

"I can't believe you lied to me," Ren said in an offended voice. "You knew how I felt since that day?"

She shook her head. "Technically I was supposed to, but I didn't."

When she felt his body tense up, Kyoko slightly pulled back and looked up into his confused expression, saying with an ashamed smile, "I couldn't assume, right?"

He didn't reply.

"Are you mad?" she asked in a tiny voice.

Ren exhaled sharply at her nervous appearance as he pressed his body to hers once more. And with a long sigh, he replied "I guess not. You look pretty apologetic. Besides, I should be the one telling you how I feel, not a ring."

Kyoko laughed softly. But aware that she was still wrong, mumbled in a guilty voice, "I really am sorry, Ren."

He smiled with warmth, holding her even tighter. He always had a weak spot when she murmured his name in such a loving voice. So with a teasing tone, Ren asked with a smile, "Still, should I be aware of anything else you're hiding from me? Or am I supposed to figure that out on my own as well?"

Her shoulders shook with quiet laughter as she closed her eyes, "No, there's nothing—"

Kyoko suddenly stopped, her eyes wrenching open in realization.

Surprised by her oddly startled reaction, Ren took a step back, keeping his arms around her waist and asking worriedly, "What's wrong?"

She raised her eyes to his. Kyoko couldn't believe she had forgotten. Even though it had been awhile since she took up the role, she never really did tell him about it, did she? And it was probably time to let him know. So in a low and slightly excited voice, she mumbled, "Actually, there's…_one_ more thing that I kept from you."

Ren raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Like what?"

Nibbling on her lower lip, Kyoko replied, "You're not the only one with an alias."

"R-r-really?" Ren stammered, his eyes the size of tennis balls. "Then what's yours?"

She laughed nervously. "A chicken."

"What?"

Then feeling her lips curve into a smile at his boyish expression, Kyoko wrapped her arms around his neck and confessed sweetly against his lips, "Named Bo."


	21. Epilogue

Greetings everyone! So, I want to apologize for the later than usual update...just got back from vacation. XD Anyway, I want to thank you all again for the reviews. I'm really glad you liked how the "confession" played out. As always, I hope you'll enjoy this next installment too! Please Read and Review

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>"He'll be out in a minute, Kyoko-chan."<p>

Kyoko raised her head to the sound of approaching footsteps and saw the young woman close the golden door behind her. Oddly speechless, she could only nod in response. The clinking sounds of bangles and rings filled the large room as the cosmetician walked over to Kyoko whose hands were clasped tightly in her lap.

She raised an eyebrow at the sight of it. "Nervous?"

Kyoko turned to the friendly voice and smiled. "A little bit," she whispered, stretching her stiff fingers.

The artist laughed. "Then take this," she offered while handing her a warm cup of herbal tea on the coffee table. "It should help with the nerves."

Taking the ceramic cup with both hands, Kyoko murmured in a grateful tone, "Thank you, Woods-san."

"Kyoko-chan, how many times do I have to tell you?" she chided impatiently with her hands on her hips. "It's Jelly. We've known each other well enough to drop the formalities, don't you think?"

Kyoko smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry…Jelly."

She nodded in encouragement. "There you go," Jelly said as she casually sat upon the arm of Kyoko's seat—or more like President Lory's extravagant chair since they were currently using one of his rooms in his mansion. It was the only place where they could do this privately, away from unwanted eyes and ears. The last thing they needed was for another event to be leaked to the tabloids.

Kyoko suddenly stiffened. Just the thought about what would happen if someone knew was enough to make her hair stand on end.

Then in a completely unexpected motion, Kyoko felt a slender hand upon her shoulder. She turned around and saw Jelly smiling at her with kind eyes. Then squeezing her shoulder reassuringly, she said, "Don't be so anxious, Kyoko-chan. Everything will be just fine."

She exhaled deeply. Kyoko was well aware that the anxiety she felt was truly irrational. It really had nothing to do with her. If anything, she should be excited to see him, but her heart quivered like a leaf.

"I don't know why I feel so pent-up," she confessed in a slightly ashamed voice. "It's not like he didn't tell me about this before, but I can't get myself to relax."

Jelly smiled sympathetically. "Well, it's understandable. You are going to be the first person who sees after all."

Kyoko's breath shook dangerously as she placed the teacup onto the table beside her. It was like all the air had been sucked out of the room.

Laughing at her reaction, the artist replied, "You should be happy, Kyoko-chan. I don't think he would do this for anyone he didn't trust."

She gave a tiny nod, not having the voice to say anything else. The nervousness had finally reached her throat and another sound just might be enough to release everything that was building up inside of her. Kyoko had to keep it together. This wasn't the time to lose the composure she had worked so hard to maintain all week. Besides, wasn't she the one who asked him to do this? Kyoko couldn't possibly back out now.

"You know what I can't believe?" Jelly asked nonchalantly as she linked her hands behind her head, hoping to steer the conversation to a more casual subject.

Kyoko turned to look at her with curious eyes.

And with a warm smile, she answered, "It's already been four years."

Even when the words were spoken out loud, Kyoko couldn't get herself to believe them. So much has happened in the last few years that it almost seemed surreal. It truly did feel like a never-ending dream. But whenever she caught a look at herself in the mirror, there was undeniable evidence that time really did pass. The round contours of her face had disappeared and the tips of her golden hair were now past her shoulder. Her skin appeared silkier than before and her body was no longer in the shape of a teenager's, but now a full-fledged woman.

Yet even though it was obvious that Kyoko underwent a "butterfly" transformation, there was one feature that remained. Her amber eyes were still as fiery as ever. Just one glance was more than enough for anyone to know exactly who she was. Many of her fans would say it was her signature feature. Some would go even so far to say she had the best gaze in the industry, but no one would deny that within those fiery depths there existed a certain sparkle that separated her from other actresses.

Step by step, Kyoko had patiently climbed the industry ladder until she was one of the most distinguished celebrities in Japan. Her growth in fame was nothing like anyone could have ever predicted. In just a few short years, Kyoko landed roles in award-nominated movies and starred in dramas that instantly became world favorites. There were even rumors that she was going to pursue a modeling career.

But even with all the fame and glory, Kyoko never once let them get to her head. Her great humility was what made it so easy for everyone to adore her, not to mention her talent for morphing into nearly any character. Kyoko's talent was improving by the day.

Yet if she had to pick one achievement out of them all, there would be no doubt of what it would be. No change was as great as what had happened within her heart. Kyoko would be lying if she said it was natural for her to love again. It certainly took her quite some time, but now that she openly embraced her new self, there were absolutely no regrets. Kyoko had never been more in love.

So with a softened expression, she eventually murmured, "I can't believe it either. It's been amazing."

"And speaking of amazing," Jelly began with a wide smile, "congratulations on your award last week, Kyoko-chan! Female role of the year is quite a feat!"

Kyoko blushed profusely, still not used to such sincere praise. Although she was incredibly honored and proud of her achievement, she couldn't help but wonder if there was some sort of mistake. Female role of the year was one of the most prestigious awards that every actress strived for and to think she actually won it was nothing less than a surprise. But this new triumph only increased Kyoko's motivation to work even harder as she realized how much people appreciated the effort she put into her career.

"You both seem practically unstoppable," Jelly added as she shook her head in wonder.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, not only did you win female role of the year," she explained, "but he also won best actor! Isn't that the third year in a row for him?"

Kyoko smiled, feeling intense pride swell within her heart. Out of all people who helped her to grow as an actress there was no one with greater influence than him. And even while her career soared to new heights, his fame grew right alongside hers as he quickly gained recognition overseas.

"He's worked really hard," Kyoko replied. "I don't even think he's turned down any roles yet."

Jelly leaned back with a laugh. "Well, I don't know how you two do it. You guys are certainly a power couple."

Shaking her head, Kyoko said, "I would never say it's easy. In fact whenever we go weeks without seeing each other, I get this really empty feeling inside. Those moments are difficult to handle, but once I do see him, everything falls back into place as if it never happened."

And in a movement that caught her completely off guard, Jelly suddenly threw her arms around Kyoko from behind and squealed, "YOU'RE TOO CUTE, KYOKO-CHAN! I COULD JUST EAT YOU UP!"

Red like a beet, she could only vehemently shake her head and whine in disagreement. Kyoko was so humiliated!

But Jelly didn't seem to care. She just continued to laugh as she rocked a clearly embarrassed Kyoko back in forth. It was very rare to see her so vulnerable and the make-up artist had every intention to milk it for all it was worth. Kyoko was just too sweet to give up.

Thankfully for the young actress though, her humiliation was at an end when a gentle voice called, "Kyoko?"

Both girls whipped their heads up in an instant, staring at the golden door that was now opened barely just a crack.

"Sounds like he's ready," Jelly said under her breath as she got to her feet. "I'll give you two some privacy, Kyoko-chan."

Then without another word, the cosmetician exited the room, leaving Japan's number one couple by themselves. Kyoko's hands were now tightly clasped in her lap once more, but when she was just about to get to her feet, he suddenly said, "Hold on."

"Is something wrong?" she murmured in alarm.

"No, nothing's wrong," his deep voice answered, "I just think it'll be better if you sit. This might be harder than you think."

Kyoko's eyes widen. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it felt as if he was hinting at something she didn't catch—a hidden meaning of some sorts. But even though the curiosity was burning like a hot flame, the need to see him was stronger. She wanted nothing else, but to stare into his face once more.

"Ren."

The door creaked.

"Please let me see you," she confessed in a tiny voice.

And as if the magic words were spoken, the heavy door smoothly swung open. But instead of seeing the most important man in her life, all she could make out was shadow. His silhouette was completely covered in darkness.

"Kyoko, can I ask for one favor?" Ren suddenly asked.

"Anything," she said with surprise.

He smiled. "Can you close your eyes?"

Laughing, she replied in a playful tone, "We're playing this game again? Aren't we a little too old for this?"

Ren chuckled at the sound of her beautiful voice and answered, "I know, but it will help with my nerves."

She blinked in astonishment. Kyoko was so wrapped up in her own emotions that she completely forgot how he would feel. Of course, Ren would be nervous. This was probably ten times scarier for him than it was for her. And here she was, only thinking about herself once again. Kyoko sighed heavily in shame. Then feeling more compassion for him than ever, she patiently closed her eyes and murmured, "Whenever you're ready, Ren."

At first, she couldn't hear anything. All that filled the room was intense silence. Then with a barely audible footstep, she heard him make his way across the carpeted floor. Kyoko's heart throbbed, but she tried with all her might to remain calm. She didn't want to stress him out even more. And before she could even take in another breath, she suddenly felt his familiar lips pressed against her own.

Naturally, she kissed him back, reaching for his face. Even with her eyes closed, she could tell that this was the man she fell in love with. The texture of his face, the smell of his skin, and the sounds of his breathing were all tailored to him. There wasn't anyone in this world who could match. Ren was just one of a kind.

And with her breathing slightly heavier than before, Kyoko leaned back until her spine was flat against the chair. She could sense that he was kneeling before her as she held one of his hands between hers—taking his silence as a sign that it was up to her now.

She inhaled deeply.

And without any hesitation, Kyoko opened her eyes.

Nothing could have prepared her for what happened next. So many things happened at once that Kyoko couldn't even remember what was going on. The first thought that flitted across her mind was that he was beautiful—more beautiful than she could have ever envisioned. His smooth brown hair was now replaced with bright blond locks that draped over a pair of icy-blue eyes. He didn't even look human.

But surprisingly enough, that wasn't what strangled her for breath. It wasn't just how he looked. It wasn't the fact that he changed. In fact, it was so much more…because as soon as she laid her eyes on him, Kyoko knew.

This wasn't Ren.

This wasn't the actor she loved.

This wasn't even Kuon.

It was …

"Corn?"

His expression didn't flicker. He knew this would happen. Ever since she asked him to reveal his true self, Ren knew that she would know. It couldn't be helped. Kyoko would figure it out without any help from him whatsoever. So as soon as the fated name escaped her lips, there was no way he could deny it. He could only soften his now sapphire eyes and nod.

Her breath came out in a gasp as she covered her mouth with trembling hands. Unexplained tears streamed down her face while her whole world was turned upside down. Kyoko could feel her conscious trying to reason its way through what felt like a lie, but nothing worked. No explanation was enough to satisfy her doubts except for the fact that this was really Corn. She could never forget his face even if she tried. Although he had clearly grown, Kyoko knew in an instant it was him.

The fairy prince that she had longed to see for so long was now sitting in front of her. But it was more than the fact that her wish was now heard. In reality, that didn't even come to mind. All Kyoko could think about was that Corn and the man she thought she knew through and through was actually one person. Corn wasn't simply a childhood friend who helped her when no one could. He was no longer just a person who lent her the strength she never had.

"_Corn was…"_

Kyoko's heart trembled as she lowered her hands away from her face. She had no idea what to say or do. She could only stare into those nostalgic blue eyes ridden with concern and guilt. Kyoko wanted to speak, but not a single sound came from her lips. In a flash, everything she thought she understood was obliterated into pieces.

"I know there's nothing I can say that will make this right," he spoke softly, turning his gaze downward.

Kyoko remained silent.

"But please give me a chance to explain."

And with his lips pressed together, he murmured, "Yes, I'm Corn. I've always been Corn."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, unable to keep her voice steady. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I had every intention of telling you, Kyoko," he insisted with raised eyes, "but I didn't have the courage to. I was so concerned about how you would react that I couldn't get myself to tell you the truth. But I should have told you as soon as you found out I was Kuon. That would have been the perfect moment to tell you that Kuon and Corn is in fact the same person."

Kyoko's eyes widen. "Kuon? You mean—? All this time—? I've been calling you—?"

He smiled sadly, answering, "I didn't bother to correct you at the time because I never thought in a million years we would meet again. So you could probably imagine my surprise when you came running down the steps of LME that day screaming my name as you searched for your missing blue stone."

"You knew then?" Kyoko whispered, her knees trembling violently.

He nodded. "Ever since that day, I knew that there was no doubt you were that same girl I met in the meadow. The same girl who came to me in tears yet had the sweetest smile I had ever seen."

Kyoko's eyes began to well up again. Everything was spiraling out of control and she couldn't catch up. It was as if life was just whizzing past her without a second glance. Kyoko felt like a nervous wreck.

Ren lowered his head and murmured, "I should have never kept this from you. You deserved to know from the beginning, but I let my own fears get in the way and for that I'm sorry."

He closed his eyes. "You have every reason to hate me, Kyoko. I wouldn't blame you if you did."

And just as he was about to apologize again, he suddenly felt her slender hands cup his face and in a swift motion pull his forehead to hers. Ren almost flinched at the forceful impact, but he was rendered completely speechless when he focused on her eyes. To his surprise, Kyoko looked…_frustrated._

Her expression hardened. "Is that what you think? That my love for you is so fragile that just one little bump in the road was going to make me turn my back on you?"

Ren froze, unable to say anything at all.

She rolled her eyes. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but it's going to take a little more than a secret to push me away."

Kyoko suddenly smiled, murmuring in the kindest voice, "I love you more than that."

It happened before his thoughts could catch up to his actions. Ren acted merely on impulse. He smoothly reached for her hand and pulled her body to his. He cradled Kyoko within his arms, feeling her nestle her head into his shoulder as he sat flat upon the carpeted floor. The relief that flowed through his body was nothing he had ever experienced. To hear her say those words so confidently made his heart swell to such a large extent that Ren was sure it was going to burst.

Kyoko gently leaned back and saw the sheepish look in his eyes. So touching her nose to his, she whispered, "I'm not angry with you. I'm not angry that you lied."

He smiled skeptically.

"I'm serious," she urged with a small nudge. "I won't hold you to that double standard because I haven't been completely honest with you either. This just came as a shock to me is all. I don't hate the fact that you're Corn."

Kyoko shook her head slowly. "How could I? The fact that the man I love is also my childhood prince…how could I possibly be angry?"

Ren ran a thumb over her delicate cheek, watching her eyes glisten with sincerity. He could tell that she spoke the truth. And even though he in no way deserved her warmth, Ren couldn't help but drown in the feelings that swirled within him. Kyoko was more than he could ever ask for.

"However," she began with a raised eyebrow, "any more secrets like that and I'm certain I will have a heart attack next time."

He chuckled, pressing his lips to her forehead. "I promise that that's the last of them. No more surprises."

"So I guess we have just one last matter to settle then," Kyoko said with a teasing smile.

"And what would that be?"

She giggled. "What should I call you now? Are you Ren? Kuon? Maybe Corn? If none of those, fairy prince is an option too."

He chuckled deeply, murmuring into her ear, "I got a better one. How about 'hubby' instead?"

Kyoko's ears burned flaming red as she dug her face into his chest. Absolute embarrassment colored her anxious voice as she exclaimed, "That's not until another three weeks!"

"A very long three weeks," Ren sighed against her hair. "I can hardly wait to make you Mrs.—"

He stopped.

Laughing in amusement, Kyoko linked her hands behind his neck and said, "I guess I'm not the only one who's confused about names. Maybe we should let Father figure this one out too."

Ren sighed heavily. "He already decided on the location and the date. Any more decisions and people are going to think this is his day. You spoil him more than you should, Kyoko."

"He's excited," she said in an earnest tone. "Of course, he would want some input. Besides, it's because of him we got such a great place, right?"

"To be honest, it doesn't really concern me where it is, as long as it's just you and me in the end," Ren replied sweetly.

Kyoko smiled and just as she was about to lean in for a kiss, the cell phone in her front pocket suddenly vibrated. Reaching for the device, she flipped it open and saw that she had received a text.

"It's from Moko-san," she explained at Ren's curious expression. "She said that she and Yashiro-san are already at the airport and are waiting for us to come."

Rising to his feet without letting go of Kyoko's hand, he replied, "Then we should probably get going. We wouldn't want to miss our flight."

She smiled and stood on her tiptoes, brushing her lips against his cheek. "Are you nervous?"

"A little," he admitted as his heart fluttered at her touch. "I haven't been home in a while so it'll be quite a change."

"True, but this time you won't be alone."

His blue eyes softened as he stared into her determined expression. Only Kyoko had the power to make him feel like he could do practically anything. Ren always felt invincible around her. So allowing his body to be pulled by her earnest tugs, they walked towards the exit until his trouser-pocket vibrated.

Coming to a fluid stop, Ren reached for his cell with his free hand and saw that he had received a text as well.

He sighed heavily, mumbling, "That's probably Yashiro scolding me for being late."

Kyoko laughed.

But when he flipped his phone open, the number that flashed wasn't his friend's. In fact, the number was blocked. Ren furrowed his eyebrows as he scanned the glowing screen. He rarely ever got calls or messages like these. It was very hard to get his number so to think that someone random called him was very unlikely.

And just as he was about to dismiss the strange text, Ren's body suddenly froze at the sight of the message. It was nothing wordy or long. There were only two simple words that meant more than anyone could ever understand:

_You win._

Recognition slowly trickled through his frozen veins. Ren didn't need a hint to know who sent him this. It was all too clear now.

"What did Yashiro-san say?"

He nearly jumped in alarm as he turned to Kyoko. Ren had almost forgotten that she was standing right beside him. Then feeling his breath slow at her kind expression, Ren shook his head and said, "It wasn't Yashiro."

"Then who was it?" she asked.

Ren's eyes softened. "An old competitor."

Kyoko's eyes widen as she asked, "You had a competitor?"

Chuckling, he replied, "Everyone has competition."

"And what did you both compete over?"

He smiled and answered in a low voice, "Something we both desperately wanted."

Kyoko tilted her head in confusion at the sound of his oddly gentle tone. "So…did you win?"

"You see, that's the thing," he began in a thoughtful voice. "It was never a matter of winning or losing because it wasn't up to us at all."

"Then who?" she asked in surprise.

Smoothly, he brought her slender hand to his lips and murmured, "What we wanted."

Kyoko furrowed her eyebrows and frowned. "I don't get it," she confessed bluntly.

Ren laughed as he brought their hands to the side, linking his fingers through hers. "It's okay if you don't understand because none of that matters anymore. All I want from now until forever is just this," he whispered, leaning down and kissing her lips.

Kyoko smiled tenderly. "Me too."

Then with their hands, hearts, and lives eternally intertwined, the young couple walked out of the brightly-lit room, more than ready to start their futures together.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, that's the end of it! After a good four months of writing, this story has finally come to an end. I sincerely want to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited, and read. It was always encouraging to see how much people took an interest and the fact that you guys stuck with this story until the end. Your support meant the world. Thank you again so much for everything. You guys are the best! <strong>


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